How do NHL teams travel

[Fire0nIce228 1]

I was just wondering after hearing some comments during last nights Penguins game about team travel. Due to the shite weather that is Buffalo in December, the Penguins had to bus into Buffalo. They were saying that when these teams fly, they still have to go through security and all that even though its charter. How come I never hear stories about anyone meeting these pro athletes from all these sports teams when they fly? They go through their own security? What about passports when going back and forth to Canada? Do the announcers fly commercial or ride with the team?

I thought it was funny that several of the Penguins players have PSPs and play against each other while flying.. boys will be boys I suppose!

Anyways, I thought a topic like this might lead to some interesting stories from a few of the vets on board..

[mrusse01 0]

I thought I heard somewhere that pro teams go through security checks before they get to the airport to expedite the process.

[habsfan87 0]

I'll add another question, does every team have their own plane? I think I saw the Red wings had one but thats all I've seen/heard of

[donkey87 0]

The Stars and the Texas Rangers share a 757

[MLSman 22]

I do a ton of traveling for work, and I can tell you that from a TSA perspective, I have never heard of anyone getting any pre-screening for a commercial flight. The fact is that anything can happen, such as someone slipping something into a personal item, or switching your carry-on with one that looks identical...there are just too many ways for bad people to exploit that.

With that being said, the whole concept of a chartered flight is that it is a private point-to-point flight with a list of approved passengers. It flies a commercial route, but usually has a gate that is separate from commercial entry. Many private jets and "timeshare" planes are chartered flights, and I have seen those used recently for team chartered flights.

With respect to passports, there is no difference between an NHL player and your average person. Most charter services have separate customs officers, but the same rules apply. NHL players still have to obtain a work visa if they are not Canadian or US citizens. The new US-Canada border requirements have complicated some things, but still I believe they require work visas.

As far as announcers go, I have bumped into some on commercial flights. In fact, about a month ago, I was sitting behind Steve Kerr (GM of Phoenix Suns) and his wife on a Southwest flight to Albuquerque.

[shooter27 116]

Generally teams will fly private charters. They do not own the plane, but they charter when needed, just like chartering a bus.

As for security, yes the do go through security, but its not that simple. Most airports will have a separate terminal for privately chartered flights. The people on the flight (players, staff, etc.) will go through security/customs in the private terminal, not the general commercial terminal that consumers use. And passport rules are the same regardless of flying regular commercial or charter.

[kosydar 0]

I'm not saying that anyone is wrong about security because I don't know, but I have flown private a couple of times and I've never had to go through any sort of security. Every time I've done that I've gone through buildings that are completely separate from the regular airport. I would assume that the team's charters would board through these buildings and not the main terminals, for obvious reasons. I could be wrong though, so who knows.

[JJ Thompson94 0]

If you have the NHL network, they have a show "Day in the life". It's accually pretty cool and shows one players routine for game day. The last episode, they followed Nick Shultz of the Wild. After the game, they were leaving to Nashville, so they go to into this private room, get checked quickly by TSA and board the plane.

[Gummer12 134]

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N682RW Red Bird One (Red Wings/Tigers)

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N559LC (Little Caesers) Illitch's will use this to fly themselves and/or families to games

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N424QS (Illitch's Personal Jet) Edit: Looks like he sold it

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N615PA (NJ Devils)

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N697BJ (Columbus BJ)

http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N757SS (Dallas Stars)

[jon93 0]

the little caesers midget team has their own jet?

[Gummer12 134]

no, the Pizza Chain...owned by Mike Illitch, who Owns the Red Wings, and Tigers. The midget team is just a sponsorship deal in name only

[Chadd 916]

When teams come into philly, they park at the FBO/General Aviation ramp, they do not go through the terminal. I've had a couple refs and one of the HNIC guys on one of my flights.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

I helped unload Nashville's Midwest Airlines charter in 2003, during training camp.

We met them on the executive side of Orlando International, where we pulled right up to the tarmac in an U-Haul truck and unloaded straight from the plane into the truck.

I had seen Air MSG plenty of times when I used to work at MIA years ago. Both the Rangers and Knicks share it, and it has both logos on the engine and tail, respectively. One side has NYK on the tail and NYR on the engine, the other side is the inverse.

Marz is right - they also fly the beat writers/announcers.

[li7039 0]

I helped unload Nashville's Midwest Airlines charter in 2003, during training camp.

We met them on the executive side of Orlando International, where we pulled right up to the tarmac in an U-Haul truck and unloaded straight from the plane into the truck.

I had seen Air MSG plenty of times when I used to work at MIA years ago. Both the Rangers and Knicks share it, and it has both logos on the engine and tail, respectively. One side has NYK on the tail and NYR on the engine, the other side is the inverse.

Marz is right - they also fly the beat writers/announcers.

what happens when both the Rangers and knicks are on the road.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

It is shared, not exactly sure what the protocol is on who gets priority. My guess is that distance of travel plays into that factor.

They have a 737-400 with reclining, bigger seats.

http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NN...mp;cmndfind.y=0

[jrhky36 1]

in 06 the tigers were in the world series and the wings were out west. the arrangement was tigers had priority. but its was worked out that redbird one was able to fly both teams. it flew to st. louis(tigers) then to minn, then pho, then sj back to det then on to st.louis and back to det. those are just guesses b/c i don't remember the exact way they did it.

on the rear occassion that both teams are playing nearby they could possibly share the plane. like out to la.

also alot of the east coast team still travel via rail and bus seeing as the distance is closer. ie ny to bos. nj to bos. across ny to buf.

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

Rangers do a train trip to Washington every year.

[sjsharks11 0]

I'm not sure what they do with college teams, but one time I was at the Denver Airport and saw a couple of Minnesota players (Gophers not Wild) walking out of a commercial gate. There were only 3 or 4 of them, not the whole team, so I assumed that they were healthy scratches/injured players. I also saw a Oregon State University plane at the Boise, ID airport, parked at a gate just like a commercial flight, not in a separate area or anything.

[shooter27 116]

I'm not sure what they do with college teams, but one time I was at the Denver Airport and saw a couple of Minnesota players (Gophers not Wild) walking out of a commercial gate. There were only 3 or 4 of them, not the whole team, so I assumed that they were healthy scratches/injured players. I also saw a Oregon State University plane at the Boise, ID airport, parked at a gate just like a commercial flight, not in a separate area or anything.

College teams arrangements will usually depend on the school/program. For instance, most big time college football and basketball programs will fly private charter, whereas lower end D1 football and basketball programs fly commercial. As for hockey, I would think most of those teams, with maybe a few rare exceptions, would fly commercial. The exception being during NCAA playoffs. In most cases when teams are required to fly for NCAA tournament competition, in any sport and any division, the NCAA provides charters. I'm sure there are exceptions to this rule, but I know that the D3 hockey teams that end up having to fly to the frozen four every year usually are flown on an NCAA provided charter. (This isn't every team in the frozen four, just the ones that meet NCAA guidelines for requiring air, not bus, transportation to the event site.)

As for the Oregon State plane being parked a a regular terminal, my guess would be thats a result of the Boise airport not having a separate FBO/general aviation terminal that larger airports have.

[Chadd 916]

I'm not sure what they do with college teams, but one time I was at the Denver Airport and saw a couple of Minnesota players (Gophers not Wild) walking out of a commercial gate. There were only 3 or 4 of them, not the whole team, so I assumed that they were healthy scratches/injured players. I also saw a Oregon State University plane at the Boise, ID airport, parked at a gate just like a commercial flight, not in a separate area or anything.

College teams arrangements will usually depend on the school/program. For instance, most big time college football and basketball programs will fly private charter, whereas lower end D1 football and basketball programs fly commercial. As for hockey, I would think most of those teams, with maybe a few rare exceptions, would fly commercial. The exception being during NCAA playoffs. In most cases when teams are required to fly for NCAA tournament competition, in any sport and any division, the NCAA provides charters. I'm sure there are exceptions to this rule, but I know that the D3 hockey teams that end up having to fly to the frozen four every year usually are flown on an NCAA provided charter. (This isn't every team in the frozen four, just the ones that meet NCAA guidelines for requiring air, not bus, transportation to the event site.)

As for the Oregon State plane being parked a a regular terminal, my guess would be thats a result of the Boise airport not having a separate FBO/general aviation terminal that larger airports have.

KBOI has two decent size general aviation parking areas. One on taxiway Kile, the other at the end of Golf. Most likely there was simply available gate space at the time the charter arrived/departed and it was easier to use an existing gate/jetway than remote parking and mobile stairs. I would expect that the aircraft was moved after everyone was off unless the gate was scheduled to be unused the enture time.

http://flightaware.com/resources/airport/K...ORT+DIAGRAM/png

[Gummer12 134]

When I was workin with Western Mich. The boys were off to their trip to Alaska Fairbanks, and I had to help load their gear onto a van then to the airport and onto the loader tram (at 3am :( ) they gave us all the taggings we needed. Another time off to a tourney in Duluth, same thing, commecial Northwestern flight to Minn/St Paul then a change of planes and up to Duluth. I got to go along this time, it was a great trip even got some Per Diem. The team flies to UNO, and Alaska Fairbanks, and to any holiday tourny, but has a contract with Indian Trails bus lines for the rest of their games.

[dsjunior1388 81]

I helped unload Nashville's Midwest Airlines charter in 2003, during training camp.

We met them on the executive side of Orlando International, where we pulled right up to the tarmac in an U-Haul truck and unloaded straight from the plane into the truck.

I had seen Air MSG plenty of times when I used to work at MIA years ago. Both the Rangers and Knicks share it, and it has both logos on the engine and tail, respectively. One side has NYK on the tail and NYR on the engine, the other side is the inverse.

Marz is right - they also fly the beat writers/announcers.

what happens when both the Rangers and knicks are on the road.

Well, in Detroit's case, Ken Holland and Dave Dombrowski meet in Mike Illitch's office. To decided who gets the plane they play a best out of three round of rock paper scissors.

Seriously though, The only overlaps are in October if the tigers are in the playoffs, or in april may june when the red wings are in the playoffs/playoff hunt, so I'm sure that take precedent. I would assume that because the Knicks suck and the rangers don't, the rangers get preferrential treatment. At least thats how I would do it.

[Chadd 916]

I helped unload Nashville's Midwest Airlines charter in 2003, during training camp.

We met them on the executive side of Orlando International, where we pulled right up to the tarmac in an U-Haul truck and unloaded straight from the plane into the truck.

I had seen Air MSG plenty of times when I used to work at MIA years ago. Both the Rangers and Knicks share it, and it has both logos on the engine and tail, respectively. One side has NYK on the tail and NYR on the engine, the other side is the inverse.

Marz is right - they also fly the beat writers/announcers.

what happens when both the Rangers and knicks are on the road.

Well, in Detroit's case, Ken Holland and Dave Dombrowski meet in Mike Illitch's office. To decided who gets the plane they play a best out of three round of rock paper scissors.

Seriously though, The only overlaps are in October if the tigers are in the playoffs, or in april may june when the red wings are in the playoffs/playoff hunt, so I'm sure that take precedent. I would assume that because the Knicks suck and the rangers don't, the rangers get preferrential treatment. At least thats how I would do it.

Baseball teams only travel once every three or four days on road trips as well. They could also be home for a week or more. That does make it a bit easier to work around.