nycflyer From United States of America, joined Jan 2005, 1381 posts, RR: 10 Posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 13547 times:
I am curious about what kind of special perks and arrangements are made for celebrities on commercial flights. I just read the below blurb from a gossip column in today's New York Post. My questions are: how does a celebrity make this arrangement? Since when have airlines charged a fee to enable a single person to delay a plane? How long a delay can someone pay for? And how does the airline justify this to the other pax? I imagine they lie and make up another excuse.
Very curious to know any background on airlines' policies and logisitcs regarding A-list celebrities. Thank you.
The blurb:
"Linday Lohan was a no-show at the Vienna Opera Ball after missing her flight because she was too busy shopping. Austrian papers reported that Lohan held up a British Airways flight from Los Angeles to London en route to Vienna while she shopped and couldn't afford the $22,000 fee that the airline charged for the delay. "She wanted to pay it, but her card's credit limit was not high enough," Lugner told the Austrian press."
afterburner From Indonesia, joined Jun 2005, 1102 posts, RR: 1 Reply 1, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 13283 times:
When reading the title what I had in mind was she paid the money to make BA delay her flight. The topic's title should be "Lohan Pays $22k FOR Delaying BA Flight".
Anyway, I've never heard an airline ask a passenger for compensation. Why didn't the flight just leave (no need to wait for her)?
bastew From Australia, joined Sep 2006, 1007 posts, RR: 2 Reply 2, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 13038 times:
Quoting afterburner (Reply 1): Why didn't the flight just leave (no need to wait for her)?
This article confuses me, the wording is very vague.
Im not sure if she made the BA flight from LAX in the end or not? Im thinking NOT as the main point of the article is that she was a no-show at the function she was due to attend.
And I know it certainly ISN'T BA's policy to delay an aircraft for a VIP. For five minutes maybe. And lets face it. Its not like Lindsay Lohan is an Uber VIP or anything. If it was Her Majesty travelling then of course something would be sorted out. But for LL and similar elk, no way.
I reckon the real incidnent would have happened somthing like:
LL's manager calling BA: 'Hi, LL is running late. Can you delay her flight? She IS a VIP'
BA: 'Im afraid not, the cost would be prohibitive. And there are 300+ other passengers'.
LL: 'How much would the delay cost?'
BA: 'In the region of $23000'
LL: 'What if she paid that for the delay'.
BA: 'Im afraid that is not an option'.
Pellegrine From United States of America, joined Mar 2007, 1845 posts, RR: 8 Reply 3, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 12489 times:
The article is wrong.
Richard Lugner, the millionaire Austrian entrepreneur, was to have LLs accompany him to a soirée.
LLs was on her way to the Venna Opera Ball, but was delayed to the airport because (they say she was partying).
The private jet operator was going to make her pay $22,000 for delaying the flight 2 hours. (I think it was a Gulfstream 4 or 5.) The jet was provided by Lugner, because LLs told him she would not fly commercial all the way to Vienna.
She either refused or couldn't come up with it on such short notice and left the aircraft.
Too bad for her because she was to collect $150k just for showing up.
She was seen out later that night partying apparently. Alternative word is that she didn't care to actually go.
CO787EWR From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 222 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 2 hours ago) and read 12438 times:
All I got out of this was she doesn't have a black card with a no-credit limit....
Quoting Pellegrine (Reply 3):
LLs was on her way to the Venna Opera Ball, but was delayed to the airport because (they say she was partying).
The private jet operator was going to make her pay $22,000 for delaying the flight 2 hours. (I think it was a Gulfstream 4 or 5.) The jet was provided by Lugner, because LLs told him she would not fly commercial all the way to Vienna.
She either refused or couldn't come up with it on such short notice and left the aircraft.
Too bad for her because she was to collect $150k just for showing up.
She was seen out later that night partying apparently. Alternative word is that she didn't care to actually go.
If this is true how BA involved.... or they arent at all and the NYP is wrong.
LX138 From United Kingdom, joined Jul 2009, 349 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 12194 times:
Thats crazy, and I'm suprised the NY Post picked this story up if it's that inaccurate. BA are not going to hold the flight for Lindsay Lohan and if they did, they aren't going to charge her $22,000! Could you imagine her running into check-in and the staff saying 'before you put your bags on the belt, you just need to nip over to the ticket desk to pay your $22,000 delay fee'!
DeltaMD90 From United States of America, joined Apr 2008, 5309 posts, RR: 47 Reply 6, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 1 hour ago) and read 12120 times:
I wonder how many starving African children she could feed... sad to see such a waste of money!
unmlobo From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 196 posts, RR: 1 Reply 7, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 4 days ago) and read 11890 times:
I think the newspaper account is probably inaccurate. What would make more sense is that the Private Charter wouldn't set around and wait for LL and so she had to fly BA to get to Vienna. The ticket would've cost 22K but LL's credit card didn't have that much available credit or she didn't want to pay that to go to the event.
The views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Southwest Airlines its Directors or its Employees
nkops From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 2544 posts, RR: 6 Reply 8, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 10983 times:
USAirways787 From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 290 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 10891 times:
Wow really? What does that have anything to do with this topic? If this story is true, which I highly doubt, the plane left anyway. I can guarantee it. No airline unless for a extra high priority person, "politician" to my knowledge is going to wait for someone such as Lindsay Lohan. I wouldn't wanna sit next to her anyway.
USAirways787
"Pre departure walk around complete, all doors closed, ready for pushback"
DeltaMD90 From United States of America, joined Apr 2008, 5309 posts, RR: 47 Reply 10, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 10794 times:
Quoting USAirways787 (Reply 9): What does that have anything to do with this topic?
Meh, I just see trying to pay $22K for something like this a waste of money.
varigb707 From United States of America, joined May 2006, 1220 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 10431 times:
I call it total BS and just another gossip on the part of said newspaper (NY Post?).
LiLo is nearly broke. She hasn't been in any movies lately and has spend amounts of money with various lawsuits/lawyers, resulting from her behavior (drinking and driving,etc).
Pellegrine From United States of America, joined Mar 2007, 1845 posts, RR: 8 Reply 13, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 9098 times:
Quoting CO787EWR (Reply 4): If this is true how BA involved.... or they arent at all and the NYP is wrong.
She wasn't going to fly BA. Richard Lunger asked her to fly commercial (presumably BA, AF, or LH from LAX), but she said hell no. So he provided the private jet. But she was late. BA wasn't involved at all.
Quoting CO787EWR (Reply 4): All I got out of this was she doesn't have a black card with a no-credit limit....
Actually she used to have an AMEX Centurion, back when she was making $7 million a movie, it famously got posted online after she lost her wallet years ago. Dunno now.
ssublyme From United States of America, joined Dec 2008, 503 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 8166 times:
Quoting nycflyer (Thread starter): couldn't afford the $22,000 fee that the airline charged for the delay
This makes no sense. Since when is it possible for someone to delay a flight? We always hear of people "missing their flight" so obviously the planes don't wait. Is this a case of cash strapped BA deciding on their own to wait for Lohan, only to present her with a bill later on?
gdg9 From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 477 posts, RR: 0 Reply 15, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 17 hours ago) and read 7780 times:
All I got out of this was she doesn't have a black card with a no-credit limit....
Quoting LX138 (Reply 5): Thats crazy, and I'm suprised the NY Post picked this story up if it's that inaccurate
The Post is hardly a bastion of factual reporting...
nws2002 From United States of America, joined Feb 2008, 781 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 7459 times:
Private charters don't exactly have a schedule though, it's one of the benefits of flying that way.
Of course if you delay and the pilots are sitting at the airport waiting you may be charges wait time (usually $50-200 per hour). You would also be responsible for the bill if they went back to the hotel to start another rest period. I don't see how that would equal the $22,000 though either. The only way I could possibly see this work is if the operator had a daily minimum charge, many have it set at 2-4 hours, and then charged that for an extra day, along with wait time and an extra overnight/day room charge.
Pellegrine From United States of America, joined Mar 2007, 1845 posts, RR: 8 Reply 17, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 7345 times:
Quoting nws2002 (Reply 16): Private charters don't exactly have a schedule though, it's one of the benefits of flying that way.
Of course if you delay and the pilots are sitting at the airport waiting you may be charges wait time (usually $50-200 per hour). You would also be responsible for the bill if they went back to the hotel to start another rest period. I don't see how that would equal the $22,000 though either. The only way I could possibly see this work is if the operator had a daily minimum charge, many have it set at 2-4 hours, and then charged that for an extra day, along with wait time and an extra overnight/day room charge.
Exactly this part doesn't make sense to me either. But I was just posting what I heard through other sources. 2 hr delay shouldn't be $22,000, unless you're chartering Concorde, not even then.
Maybe it was just miscommunication over who was paying part of the bill.
B6A322 From United States of America, joined Jan 2010, 287 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 7290 times:
A.Netters, Are we really having this discussion? Yes, it makes for interesting discussion and speculation, but Its the New York Post we're talking about here. I wouldn't exactly call them the most reliable source of news around.
Therefore I will venture to say that what little factual content there was in the information the New York Post received, was bizarrely twisted. There really are some lurid headlines that they've published out there.
The content I post is solely my own opinion. It is not an official statement by/of/for nor representative of any company
soon7x7 From United States of America, joined May 2006, 2800 posts, RR: 14 Reply 19, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 7129 times:
It's Lindsey Lohan and the New york Post..."I'm sure"!...Can't decide which one I'd rather not be concerned with first...And I get flamed for talking about composites...
SASD209 From British Indian Ocean Territory, joined Oct 2007, 633 posts, RR: 0 Reply 20, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 16 hours ago) and read 7129 times:
Quoting B6A322 (Reply 18): Therefore I will venture to say that what little factual content there was in the information the New York Post received, was bizarrely twisted. There really are some lurid headlines that they've published out there.
I'm quite sure I am completely lost between this topics title and the articles content. Bizzare indeed!
aerorobNZ From Rwanda, joined Feb 2001, 6326 posts, RR: 14 Reply 21, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 6613 times:
Quoting afterburner (Reply 1): Anyway, I've never heard an airline ask a passenger for compensation.
I know of several airlines that will charge a fine for holding a flight on the gate after departure time/being offloaded. It's not exactly compensation, but I think it's a great idea to encourage people to the gate on time as long as they actually follow through on the threat...
Quoting DeltaMD90 (Reply 6): I wonder how many starving African children she could feed... sad to see such a waste of money!
There's not a lot of meat on her though, it wouldn't be that many....
cobra27 From Slovenia, joined exactly 12 years ago today! , 989 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 6532 times:
its hard times for airlines.
Too bad they didn't give the many to pax
laca773 From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 3749 posts, RR: 2 Reply 23, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 14 hours ago) and read 6393 times:
Why would someone go out of their way for this thing? She's such a mess and causes so many problems in Los Angeles & Beverly Hills. She better keep ahold of any money she has as when the judge finds out what's she been up too, she's going back to the jailhouse.
zippyjet From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 4724 posts, RR: 13 Reply 24, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 5908 times:
Quoting Pellegrine (Reply 3): She was seen out later that night partying apparently. Alternative word is that she didn't care to actually go.
Allright, I'll let the cat out of the bag. Leggy LL was with me!
I'm Zippyjet & I approve of this message!
25 MAN2SIN2BKK: That's what I'd like to know as well; I've never heard of her
26 DeltaMD90: You're not missing much nowadays... she used to be a good innocent Disney actor but you've seen how that turns out
27 DeltaMD90: I know this is off topic, but for real, what is up with a.net? Look at your post, it says you're quoting the thread starter but that's my information
28 fbgdavidson: Actually she does/did... http://kikinyc.blogspot.com/2004/12/...arting-to-think-lindsay-and-i.html Plus, Amex chargecards do have a credit limit of s
29 zippyjet: I checked and it says quoting reply # 3. Go figure.
30 2707200X: For all the people who pay on time and are frugal with their credit card and use it for the right things, I hope Lindsay pays a huge interest.
31 zippyjet: She'll probably pay by being on her knees (doggystyle) or on her back (conventional) ツ