Prince William Visiting MEM

nate1879 · Sat May 03, 2014 12:32 am

Does anyone know how he got to MEM? I read that he flew in commercial through ORD, but nothing more about it.

foxecho · Sat May 03, 2014 12:42 am

Highly doubtful...

WMC was filming from their helicopter when Prince Harry came in at Wilson Air...have no clue how WIlliam came in but I seriously doubt it was commercial....

Andrew

JFK/MEM/MCI/SYR/

mwhcvt · Sat May 03, 2014 1:02 am

It's not an official visit as far as I'm aware so more than possible he flew commercial lets not forget we are not quite as extreme as to travel plans as those on the other side of the pond, our VVIP don't as a rule travel in private jets etc...with support aircraft etc...that said I don't think there is a direct LHR-MEM so it is possible a jet was chartered, but as I said I doubt it

Edit, sorry didn't fully read the OP commercial via ORD really wouldn't surprise me at all for the reason I stated above

[Edited 2014-05-02 18:12:47]

adriaticus · Sat May 03, 2014 1:06 am

Is HRH perhaps visiting the FX MEM Hub? Anyone knows?

__Ad.

Viscount724 · Sat May 03, 2014 1:48 am

Quoting MWHCVT (Reply 2):
It's not an official visit as far as I'm aware so more than possible he flew commercial lets

Yes, Prince William and several friends flew commercial with a connection at ORD.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...e-layover-20140502,0,2868941.story

His brother, Prince Harry, arrived on a private aircraft from MIA where he had spent some time, but I expect he also flew commercial to MIA. It's a private trip to attend a friend's wedding so they're paying for it themselves (except the British taxpayer picks up the costs of the accompanying security staff).

foxecho · Sat May 03, 2014 2:23 am

Very interesting to read they flew commercial..thanks for posting, Viscount....I stand corrected!

Andrew

[Edited 2014-05-02 19:24:05]

FlyingSicilian · Sat May 03, 2014 2:30 am

Quoting adriaticus (Reply 3):
Is HRH perhaps visiting the FX MEM Hub? Anyone knows?

No...

he and his brother are attending a wedding.

LV · Sat May 03, 2014 4:46 am

I'm guessing BA from LHR-ORD then AA took over there providing him VIP services at ORD and then went on MQ for ORD-MEM portion.

[Edited 2014-05-02 21:47:09]

m404 · Sat May 03, 2014 6:24 am

From the shots from the news copter it looked like both arrived at the private Wilson-Air charter/private terminal north of the regular MEM terminal on Bombardier products. So far they have gone to BBQ dinner at the Rendevoux and today visited Graceland. I wonder if they were even aware of Elvis much at their age. Future king meets old king?

mariner · Sat May 03, 2014 6:38 am

Some photos here of Prince Harry's private jet arriving in Memphis:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...an-media-catching-royal-fever.html

Not much news about Prince William's journey, except that he arrived on a commercial flight at ORD and spent two hours in a private room - chowing down on nachos:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...e-layover-20140502,0,2868941.story

"Prince William and friends munched on nachos during O'Hare layover"

They are staying at the Peabody Hotel. I guess they'll want to see the ducks.

mariner

RWA380 · Sat May 03, 2014 7:10 am

Quoting mariner (Reply 9):
They are staying at the Peabody Hotel. I guess they'll want to see the ducks.

I'd guess this would be the only place in Memphis where a Royal would stay, just for the security features of the property alone, not to mention the award winning service.

There was a short discussion in another thread about this trip, and what has been said here is true. This is a personal trip for both of them, this does not come at taxpayer expense, well except all the security detail, advisers and assistants.

The Queen gave special permission for William & George to fly together to New Zealand and Australia, Last time that happened was when Charles & two much younger Princes, went to Canada.

I know when Harry was in Las Vegas and H.R.H. requested he get his butt back home, after some nude photos surfaced, he flew commercially, luckily there was a non-stop on a British carrier. Even in F that would have been a rough trip, hungover, knowing Grandma was going to rip you a new one when you got home.

Their schedule is tight and will not be in Memphis long enough to do that much, but a private tour of Graceland and some good B.B.Q. were both on the agenda.

mariner · Sat May 03, 2014 8:14 am

Quoting RWA380 (Reply 10):
I'd guess this would be the only place in Memphis where a Royal would stay, just for the security features of the property alone, not to mention the award winning service.

It's quite a shindig with 120 guests flying in - not just the Princes and their two cousins, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, and not just from England.

Supposedly the hosts (the bride's family) have taken over an entire floor of the Peabody for their guests, although William and Harry will spend one night in a private residence.

The bride, Lizzy Wilson, is an heiress from Tennessee - Holiday Inn money:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/article...-who-brought-harry-to-memphis.html

"Lizzy Wilson, The American Heiress Who Brought Harry to Memphis

Elizabeth Alleen Wilson is the youngest daughter of Kemmons Wilson, Jr., the grandson of Kemmons Sr., founder of the Holiday Inn chain of hotels which the family still controls."

mariner

aerorobnz · Sat May 03, 2014 8:19 am

If he's plane spotting at MEM he will be moved on by everyone except the Firemen by the station...:-P

StTim · Sat May 03, 2014 8:39 am

I find it astounding the interest in the US of our royals. This is not an official visit so they will have travelled commercially unless someone else was picking up the tab.

I did read some report that the rumour why Harry had split from his last squeeze was that he wanted her to pick up the tab for her plane ticket!

jcwr56 · Sat May 03, 2014 9:30 am

Prince William flew in on AA087 to ORD and then was escorted airside over to the domestic side after about 45 minutes at T5.

No real VIP service. Of course plenty of local, federal and his own security folks but he was processed by CBP within the M8 and M9 hold rooms as not to disrupt other passengers.

Nice chap actually.

[Edited 2014-05-03 02:32:33]

starrymarkb · Sat May 03, 2014 1:50 pm

Quoting foxecho (Reply 5):

Very interesting to read they flew commercial..thanks for posting, Viscount....I stand corrected!

Andrew

[Edited 2014-05-02 19:24:05]

Following a private event in IIRC Scotland, several Royals flew standard BE and EZY flights back to England/Wales

Also the Queen often uses normal trains between London and Sandringham. (Usually HMQ and a couple of security staff commandeer a first class compartment with the rest of the coach being in public use)

prosa · Sat May 03, 2014 2:12 pm

Quoting jcwr56 (Reply 14):
Prince William flew in on AA087 to ORD and then was escorted airside over to the domestic side after about 45 minutes at T5.

It's surprising he didn't fly on BA.

StTim · Sat May 03, 2014 2:14 pm

It is a code share flight - so he may have booked BA but been on AA metal - but likely given that route it was BA metal which also had an AA flight number designation.

Aesma · Sat May 03, 2014 5:01 pm

Quoting RWA380 (Reply 10):
There was a short discussion in another thread about this trip, and what has been said here is true. This is a personal trip for both of them, this does not come at taxpayer expense, well except all the security detail, advisers and assistants.

Well that's true if you think they deserve their money.

Quoting RWA380 (Reply 10):
Even in F that would have been a rough trip, hungover, knowing Grandma was going to rip you a new one when you got home.

Bouh ouh poor him !

ORDJOE · Sat May 03, 2014 6:52 pm

I have been hearing it was the LX lounge at ORD that he was in for the layover and was an AA or eagle flight onto MEM.

tarmacphotos · Sun May 04, 2014 1:37 am

Quoting aerorobnz (Reply 12):
I find it astounding the interest in the US of our royals. This is not an official visit so they will have travelled commercially unless someone else was picking up the tab.

I think it is more so the disbelief here that the Prince would fly commercial. Our politicians here (even the second rate ones and their families) including governors of small states are above flying commercial with the peasants they serve. Could you imagine if Queen Hillary was asked to fly commercial? Oh the humanity.

commavia · Sun May 04, 2014 1:58 am

Quoting tarmacphotos (Reply 20):
Our politicians here (even the second rate ones and their families) including governors of small states are above flying commercial with the peasants they serve. Could you imagine if Queen Hillary was asked to fly commercial? Oh the humanity.

By "here," are you referring to the United States? Politicians "here" - in the United States - fly commercial all the time.

Try flying out of Reagan at the end of a working week when Congress is in session - the planes are full of Congressman and Senators flying home to their districts. Personally, I've been on flights between DCA and DFW with at least two current or former Senators, multiple Congressman, and one "name brand" (i.e. household name) national political consultant.

As for "Queen Hillary" - say what you will about her, but she definitely has flown commercial.

Buckeyetech · Sun May 04, 2014 2:00 am

Quoting tarmacphotos (Reply 20):
I think it is more so the disbelief here that the Prince would fly commercial. Our politicians here (even the second rate ones and their families) including governors of small states are above flying commercial with the peasants they serve. Could you imagine if Queen Hillary was asked to fly commercial? Oh the humanity.

As one of the minority here in the U.S. that follows the royals, I have to agree that it's good to see them flying commercially when their security allows them!

777Jet · Sun May 04, 2014 2:02 am

Quoting tarmacphotos (Reply 20):
I think it is more so the disbelief here that the Prince would fly commercial. Our politicians here (even the second rate ones and their families) including governors of small states are above flying commercial with the peasants they serve. Could you imagine if Queen Hillary was asked to fly commercial? Oh the humanity.

One of Australia's lowest former politicians has been flamed recently for rants in his book (some say they were just a marketing ploy) about being made to fly business class and claiming that politicians should be entitled to tax-payer funded first class travel:

http://www.smh.com.au/travel/why-fly...-carrs-pyjamas-20140423-373d3.html

[Edited 2014-05-03 19:04:28]

Buckeyetech · Sun May 04, 2014 2:02 am

Quoting commavia (Reply 21):
By "here," are you referring to the United States? Politicians "here" - in the United States - fly commercial all the time.

http://www.judicialwatch.org/press-r...ng-pelosis-use-air-force-aircraft/

Only until they get caught!

mutu · Sun May 04, 2014 5:28 pm

Quoting Aesma (Reply 18):
Well that's true if you think they deserve their money.

Well they have their own personal sources of income and what comes from the tax payer, they have to work hard for!! Shit, they even serve their country in armed conflict zones, front line stuff, no special treatment n(so lng as both are not at the same risk at the same time....

No doubt thy have seen more service already than many of your countrymen managed in 2 world wars......keep your insults to yourself

prosa · Sun May 04, 2014 5:38 pm

Quoting commavia (Reply 21):
Try flying out of Reagan at the end of a working week when Congress is in session - the planes are full of Congressman and Senators flying home to their districts. Personally, I've been on flights between DCA and DFW with at least two current or former Senators, multiple Congressman, and one "name brand" (i.e. household name) national political consultant.

US politicians who don't get Secret Service protection usually are expected to fly commercial. With rare exceptions, members of Congress do not get protection.

LV · Sun May 04, 2014 10:50 pm

Quoting PROSA (Reply 26):
US politicians who don't get Secret Service protection usually are expected to fly commercial. With rare exceptions, members of Congress do not get protection.

Yeah, back when Evan Bayh was a senator I was on a flight with him. Of course he was in first and I was in coach

777STL · Sun May 04, 2014 11:47 pm

Quoting tarmacphotos (Reply 20):
I think it is more so the disbelief here that the Prince would fly commercial. Our politicians here (even the second rate ones and their families) including governors of small states are above flying commercial with the peasants they serve. Could you imagine if Queen Hillary was asked to fly commercial? Oh the humanity.

Hillary is sort of a special case because she could very well wind up being the next president. The vast majority of federal politicians fly commercially on personal business and all almost all state politicians as well. It wasn't too long ago I was sitting next to the governor of Missouri in the ORD Admiral's Club.

Quoting mutu (Reply 25):
No doubt thy have seen more service already than many of your countrymen managed in 2 world wars......keep your insults to yourself

And you'd be speaking German right now if those countrymen of mine hadn't bailed your country out of two different wars, so how about a little respect, ehh?

[Edited 2014-05-04 16:48:46]

ipodguy7 · Mon May 05, 2014 12:32 am

Quoting commavia (Reply 21):
Try flying out of Reagan at the end of a working week when Congress is in session - the planes are full of Congressman and Senators flying home to their districts. Personally, I've been on flights between DCA and DFW with at least two current or former Senators, multiple Congressman, and one "name brand" (i.e. household name) national political consultant.

Speaking of US politicians flying commerical,I have personally seen:
Former Governor of Vermont and Presidential canditate Howard Dean at Reagan National (he actually came up to my father and i and asked if this flight was going to Burlington?)
Current Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn flying US DCA-BNA
Former Governor of New Mexico Bill Richardson at the DFW Admirals Club
and I sat in front of Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist in First on DFW-BNA

[Edited 2014-05-04 17:32:46]

prosa · Mon May 05, 2014 4:21 am

Quoting 777stl (Reply 28):
Hillary is sort of a special case because she could very well wind up being the next president. The vast majority of federal politicians fly commercially on personal business and all almost all state politicians as well.

Not only that, but as the spouse of a former president Hillary Clinton has Secret Service protection and as such would not be flying commercial in most instances.

JohnJ · Mon May 05, 2014 4:30 am

Quoting PROSA (Reply 26):

On a recent US Airways flight I took from Hartford to DCA, both of Connecticut's senators were onboard, in coach.

richierich · Mon May 05, 2014 9:20 pm

Quoting PROSA (Reply 30):
Not only that, but as the spouse of a former president Hillary Clinton has Secret Service protection and as such would not be flying commercial in most instances

I'm pretty sure as Secretary of State, she is not going to be flying commercial.

Quoting JohnJ (Reply 31):
On a recent US Airways flight I took from Hartford to DCA, both of Connecticut's senators were onboard, in coach

That's quite amazing...then again, one of the Senators was almost hit by a train recently as he was standing on the platform. Maybe he it is safer for him to fly....

MWAAdude · Mon May 05, 2014 10:53 pm

Quoting LV (Reply 27):

Yeah, back when Evan Bayh was a senator I was on a flight with him.

Of course he and his wife Susan both make quite a bit and have a really nice place in DC, so it's not like he couldn't have just bought that with his own money.

redzeppelin · Mon May 05, 2014 11:04 pm

I saw Mike Leavitt flying coach, DCA-SLC, when he was Secretary of Health and Human Services. And HHS has the largest budget of any cabinet department!
I was at BZN recently to pick up a relative and noticed that congressman Steve Daines got off of the same flight (SLC-BZN; I assume he was connecting from DCA).

IAHWorldflyer · Tue May 06, 2014 1:48 am

A long time ago, boarded an AA flight in MEM bound for DCA that originated in LIT. In the first row of coach sat Bill Clinton on the aisle, Chelsea Clinton ( a toddler) in the middle, and Hillary Clinton at the window. I was 2 rows behind them. I did get up mid flight and speak to then-Gov. Clinton, who true to his reputation, seemed to enjoy talking to a teenage me, and told me lots of stories. I don't remember Hillary having much to say, if anything. So, yes, she has flown coach, though this was in the 1980's!

777STL · Tue May 06, 2014 2:10 am

Quoting richierich (Reply 32):

I'm pretty sure as Secretary of State, she is not going to be flying commercial.

She resigned from that position several months back.

prosa · Tue May 06, 2014 4:40 am

Quoting 777stl (Reply 36):
Quoting richierich (Reply 32):

I'm pretty sure as Secretary of State, she is not going to be flying commercial.

She resigned from that position several months back.

I would imagine that the Secretary of State (and the Secretary of Defense, and maybe some other Cabinet members) have to fly on government aircraft with secure communications systems in case a crisis develops when they are airborne. It's not as if they ever are off-duty.
Vice-President Bush was in Texas at the time of the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan in 1981. While of course he immediately headed back to Washington, the communications systems on his aircraft weren't fully secure and news outlets were able to listen to some radio messages.

RyanairGuru · Tue May 06, 2014 5:40 am

Those questioning why they didn't fly BA, the answer is pretty simple: they were obviously more expensive.

There is no official "buy British" policy, and they've flown everyone from EZY to SQ depending on who was cheapest. Not to mention that this is a private trip. For the recent official visit to Australia and New Zealand they flew QF commercial LHR-DXB-SYD-DXB-LHR.

Baexecutive · Tue May 06, 2014 9:03 am

Quoting RyanairGuru (Reply 38):

They flew QF as the host country foots the bill.

The Queen flew SQ as it was paid for by Singapore.

There is no buy British policy, notwithstanding, there is a specially trained crew at a certain airline who knows just how the queen likes her tea.

vv701 · Tue May 06, 2014 10:47 am

Quoting jcwr56 (Reply 14):
Prince William flew in on AA087 to ORD

Quoting StTim (Reply 17):
It is a code share flight

Yes. It is operated by an AA 772 and is AA087 / BA1542.

If you look for an LHR-MEM flight on the BA web site one alternative you will be offered is LHR-ORD on BA1542 operated by AA and ORD-MEM on BA7729 operated by Envoy Air as American Eagle.

Pellegrine · Tue May 06, 2014 11:25 am

Quoting jcwr56 (Reply 14):
Prince William flew in on AA087 to ORD and then was escorted airside over to the domestic side after about 45 minutes at T5.

No real VIP service. Of course plenty of local, federal and his own security folks but he was processed by CBP within the M8 and M9 hold rooms as not to disrupt other passengers.

Nice chap actually.

Some spy shots would be nice.

Quoting commavia (Reply 21):
By "here," are you referring to the United States? Politicians "here" - in the United States - fly commercial all the time.

Try flying out of Reagan at the end of a working week when Congress is in session - the planes are full of Congressman and Senators flying home to their districts. Personally, I've been on flights between DCA and DFW with at least two current or former Senators, multiple Congressman, and one "name brand" (i.e. household name) national political consultant.

As for "Queen Hillary" - say what you will about her, but she definitely has flown commercial.

Seconded, or thirded... Every other time I'm in DCA I run into a congressperson or senator, to say nothing of the countless government this or that. The "big government is so aloof and out of touch" people need to have three seats and plant themselves.

richierich · Tue May 06, 2014 4:48 pm

Quoting 777stl (Reply 36):
She resigned from that position several months back.

I'm aware.
I should have written "when she was SoS"...

Quoting RyanairGuru (Reply 38):
Those questioning why they didn't fly BA, the answer is pretty simple: they were obviously more expensive.

I wonder if they have OneWorld mileage accounts....

mcg · Tue May 06, 2014 5:37 pm

I recall a number of years ago when one of (or both) of the Princes flew DEN - ASE on the gone (but not forgotten) Lynx.

mariner · Tue May 06, 2014 7:05 pm

Many articles - with a pic - saying that Prince William flew MEM-ORD in coach:

http://www.nydailynews.com/entertain...merican-airlines-article-1.1781300

"Prince William spotted flying coach on American Airlines from Memphis to Dallas"

mariner

RWA380 · Wed May 07, 2014 1:02 am

Quoting Pellegrine (Reply 41):
Some spy shots would be nice.

I just saw a pic of William sitting in the bulkhead, in an A window seat, in coach, flying MEM-ORD today, he seems quite comfortable with his security detail around him.

It is very refreshing how this generation of Royals seem to be more in touch with the average person, and seem to have less ceremony surrounding their activities.

777Jet · Wed May 07, 2014 1:31 am

Quoting RWA380 (Reply 45):

I just saw a pic of William sitting in the bulkhead, in an A window seat, in coach, flying MEM-ORD today, he seems quite comfortable with his security detail around him.

It is very refreshing how this generation of Royals seem to be more in touch with the average person, and seem to have less ceremony surrounding their activities.

Me too. I wanted to get a second look before I posted that I saw William in coach!

777Jet · Wed May 07, 2014 1:32 am

Here is one link to that pic:

http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/05/06/...illiam-flies-coach-economy-flight/

LoneStarMike · Wed May 07, 2014 1:34 am

I saw the photo on ABC World News Tonight. (It was on a flight from MEM to DFW rather than MEM-ORD)

LoneStarMike

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