Yankee Pitcher pays $200 K to charter a 787?
Feb 11, 2014, 3:42 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: LAX
Programs: Thai Gold, UA, AA, SWA
Posts: 362
Yankee Pitcher pays $200 K to charter a 787?
"Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, who signed a seven-year, $155 million contract with the New York Yankees last month, didn’t waste any time when it came to spending some of that newfound wealth: on Sunday, he chartered a brand-new Boeing 787 Dreamliner to fly himself and six other passengers from Japan to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Total cost of the flight, chartered from Japan Airlines? $200,000, the New York Times reports. FlightAware, which tracks commercial flights, had no data available for the journey.
The 787, Boeing’s newest jet, is a twin-engine super-modern aircraft with anywhere between 210 and 330 seats, depending on how airlines choose to configure them. Tanaka, not the Yankees, made the unusual call to charter a jet typically filled with at least a couple hundred people, the Times reports.
Why rent a 787? Tanaka’s due to make his pinstripes debut this week, and he wanted to beat a snowstorm currently impacting travel in the U.S. — but that doesn’t totally explain why he didn’t charter a more reasonable long-range jet for the journey. The aircraft also didn’t carry any passengers on its ferry flight back to Tokyo, making Tanaka’s adventure far from the greenest of travel arrangements."
[New York Times]
If my calculations are right, if an Airline gets $1000/pax (avg.) then a full flight (250) would bring in at least $250K in profits on a RT Narita-JFK. Not bad for a couple of days work.
Total cost of the flight, chartered from Japan Airlines? $200,000, the New York Times reports. FlightAware, which tracks commercial flights, had no data available for the journey.
The 787, Boeing’s newest jet, is a twin-engine super-modern aircraft with anywhere between 210 and 330 seats, depending on how airlines choose to configure them. Tanaka, not the Yankees, made the unusual call to charter a jet typically filled with at least a couple hundred people, the Times reports.
Why rent a 787? Tanaka’s due to make his pinstripes debut this week, and he wanted to beat a snowstorm currently impacting travel in the U.S. — but that doesn’t totally explain why he didn’t charter a more reasonable long-range jet for the journey. The aircraft also didn’t carry any passengers on its ferry flight back to Tokyo, making Tanaka’s adventure far from the greenest of travel arrangements."
[New York Times]
If my calculations are right, if an Airline gets $1000/pax (avg.) then a full flight (250) would bring in at least $250K in profits on a RT Narita-JFK. Not bad for a couple of days work.
Feb 11, 2014, 4:01 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Canadia
Programs: A loyal Amerisuites customer... oh wait
Posts: 2,033
Feb 11, 2014, 5:33 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: PHX
Programs: AA Peon Gold
Posts: 2,915
Feb 11, 2014, 5:53 pm
#4
Used to be 'Travelergcp'
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: New Orleans
Programs: AA Plat, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,826
This is why international first exists on commercial flights.
And probably why many pro athletes end up broke after their careers end.
On the other hand, it's 1.3% of his annual salary, if you divide the 155 MM over the 7 years.
And probably why many pro athletes end up broke after their careers end.
On the other hand, it's 1.3% of his annual salary, if you divide the 155 MM over the 7 years.
Feb 11, 2014, 5:54 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,813
What an absurd decision. 7 people sharing the 42 person J cabin?
What would you rather have, 6 (angled lie-flat) J seats to yourself or 1 F seat? They would have been much more comfortable buying the 8 F seats on the 777, or chartering a private jet.
Reminds me of the NFL QB (Vince Young?) who bought over 100 seats on a WN flight for no clear reason, as the flight had already sold some seats so he and his group weren't even alone. IIRC, he has now entered bankruptcy protection.
Although, it is worth noting we don't know how much he actually paid for this flight, as sponsorships might have played a factor.
What would you rather have, 6 (angled lie-flat) J seats to yourself or 1 F seat? They would have been much more comfortable buying the 8 F seats on the 777, or chartering a private jet.
Reminds me of the NFL QB (Vince Young?) who bought over 100 seats on a WN flight for no clear reason, as the flight had already sold some seats so he and his group weren't even alone. IIRC, he has now entered bankruptcy protection.
Although, it is worth noting we don't know how much he actually paid for this flight, as sponsorships might have played a factor.
Feb 11, 2014, 5:58 pm
#8
Used to be 'Travelergcp'
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: New Orleans
Programs: AA Plat, Marriott Gold, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 2,826
200k actually sounds reasonable for a brand-new wide body jet NRT-JFK. For the experts here, what would it have cost to have chartered a biz jet capable of the trip?
Feb 11, 2014, 6:13 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LGA - JFK
Programs: UA, AA, DL, B6, CX, KE, Latitude, VIFP, Crown & Anchor, etc.
Posts: 2,589
I surely don't think he's impressing a lot of fans, whether it's back in his hometown or across the river here in Yankee land (grew up in the Bronx & not a fan of the team 
)
And, I can think of a few charity groups from Japan (and here in NY) that would've minded his contributions to a more worthy causes for his consideration instead of blowing that kind of money around. And, as others said, there are long-range corporate jet that could've easily done this route for less, with spare change for a return trip & then some.
)And, I can think of a few charity groups from Japan (and here in NY) that would've minded his contributions to a more worthy causes for his consideration instead of blowing that kind of money around. And, as others said, there are long-range corporate jet that could've easily done this route for less, with spare change for a return trip & then some.
Feb 11, 2014, 6:13 pm
#10
Moderator: Information Desk, Women Travelers, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Chicago, IL, USA
Programs: AA Gold
Posts: 15,653
As a non-baseball person, I'm a little confused. Apparently pitchers and catchers report in Tampa on Friday. Now, I know Atlanta canceled a ton of flights today and tomorrow, but Sunday departures shouldn't have been affected? Even if he wanted to limit himself to JAL, couldn't he have flown via Chicago?
Feb 11, 2014, 8:45 pm
#11
Used to be 'g_leyser'
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Brandon Johnson International Airport (expect delays)
Programs: AA PlatPro, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold, IHG Plat, Reno Air MEGA Platinum
Posts: 10,039
Yankee Pitcher pays $200 K to charter a 787?
Just one more reason to hate the Yankees ;-)
Feb 12, 2014, 4:01 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
A Gulfstream IV costs around $6500 per flight hour. So if NRT-JFK is roughly 14 hours then it would've been around $91000 for the charter.
Feb 12, 2014, 4:08 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: BA Gold, QF WP
Posts: 12,551
So, double the fuel amount and adding all the overheads doesn't leave much profit.
Feb 12, 2014, 6:24 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: UA GS>1K>Nothing; DL DM 2MM; AS 75K>Nothing>MVP
Posts: 9,341
Totally agree. What an idiot. I wouldn't want to fly in JL 787 J seat even if it was free.
Feb 12, 2014, 7:08 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,031