Celebs you have met on planes
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Joined: Jan 2000
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From: UK and Italy
Celebs you have met on planes
I have a feeling this has been dealt with before, in which case I'd be grateful if someone could point me at the thread. I'm not even sure if this shouldn't be in JetBlast.
Have you ever sat next to/close to someone famous? What were they like?
The closest I've ever come to this was on a flight back from New Zealand to the UK (AKL-PPT-LAX-LHR) with the England cricket team. They were well-oiled before they got on the plane, and the drinks kept on coming. One of them wet himself. Eventually the alcohol took its usual effect and they fell asleep, long after the rest of us wanted to. Not England's finest hour, or seven hours across the Pacific.
Have you ever sat next to/close to someone famous? What were they like?
The closest I've ever come to this was on a flight back from New Zealand to the UK (AKL-PPT-LAX-LHR) with the England cricket team. They were well-oiled before they got on the plane, and the drinks kept on coming. One of them wet himself. Eventually the alcohol took its usual effect and they fell asleep, long after the rest of us wanted to. Not England's finest hour, or seven hours across the Pacific.
Joined: Jul 2013
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From: SLF from NV (LAS)
My first assignment for an employer had me flying from ORD to LAX. My co-worker was a pro flyer and got us bumped to First Class. In the row in front of us was David Hasselhoff. In the center section was Marcus Allen (American footballer). In seat 1A was Mr. T. Wheels up he fell asleep. Wheels down he woke up.
On another flight I offered Dick Clark a magazine. He declined.
Not flight related . I was ushering some Italian clients around LA. I was using a Lincoln Towncar. In the parking lot of a grocery store we visited I saw Phil Collins heading to a car near to us. It was a BMW. As he walked by he commented on my car, Nice Car. I happened to have a mix cassette tape of his songs I had made in the car so I asked him to sign the J card. He did. Later, as usual, I thought of a great line I could have said. When he complimented the car I could have said, Well, if you work hard you could get one. 😊
On another flight I offered Dick Clark a magazine. He declined.
Not flight related . I was ushering some Italian clients around LA. I was using a Lincoln Towncar. In the parking lot of a grocery store we visited I saw Phil Collins heading to a car near to us. It was a BMW. As he walked by he commented on my car, Nice Car. I happened to have a mix cassette tape of his songs I had made in the car so I asked him to sign the J card. He did. Later, as usual, I thought of a great line I could have said. When he complimented the car I could have said, Well, if you work hard you could get one. 😊
Joined: Jul 2012
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From: Raleigh
My dad was a US investment banker and traveled Atlantic to Pacific on a regular basis so they always gave him first class.. One trip, he was minding his own business when a bunch of long-haired guys started asking him questions.. they'd heard him talking investment with one of his peers before they got on the plane..
Turned out to be a Kiss out of makeup.. Dad said that they were the most well-informed non-professional financiers he ever met..
Unbelievably, he did not get signatures for his guitar playing the Son but he had a great time:-)
Turned out to be a Kiss out of makeup.. Dad said that they were the most well-informed non-professional financiers he ever met..
Unbelievably, he did not get signatures for his guitar playing the Son but he had a great time:-)
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From: Cincinnati, Ohio
Joined: Nov 2011
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From: Japan
If I saw a celebrity near me I would leave them alone. Nothing worse than getting recognized.
As M. de Mirabeau said in the French Revolution when things started going pear-shaped for him: "Mon Dieu, donnez-moi la médiocrité."
As M. de Mirabeau said in the French Revolution when things started going pear-shaped for him: "Mon Dieu, donnez-moi la médiocrité."
PPRuNe Handmaiden
Joined: Feb 1997
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From: Duit On Mon Dei
All the time. 
Most nice. Some amazingly lovely, a couple - well, I'll never spend my money on their products again.
When paxing, Jeremy Clarkson, Orlando Bloom, Greg Davies, Noel Fielding, Jarvis Cocker.
Most nice. Some amazingly lovely, a couple - well, I'll never spend my money on their products again. When paxing, Jeremy Clarkson, Orlando Bloom, Greg Davies, Noel Fielding, Jarvis Cocker.
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: Reading, UK
I sat next to the brewery heiress and tennis player darling Carling Bassett on a Toronto-Miami flight where she was on her way back to Nick B's tennis academy.
Nice girl, though I think most of her brains were in her arms and legs.
We got diverted to Philly with a technical problem, and when the time came to reboard, there was one passenger missing. I remembered having seen her in the terminal bookstore, so I bravely volunteered to go and extricate her so we could depart,
Nice girl, though I think most of her brains were in her arms and legs.
We got diverted to Philly with a technical problem, and when the time came to reboard, there was one passenger missing. I remembered having seen her in the terminal bookstore, so I bravely volunteered to go and extricate her so we could depart,
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From: Oxon
I don't understand the obsession with 'celebs'. (I don't mean that in a snotty way, but genuinely puzzled) My late husband worked in film and in Holywood a couple of times; we lived over there over 12 months because of his job. As he always said, they are just people doing a job, and they were treated accordingly. He introduced me to a number of them, during work and they actually quite liked that I wasn't involved in the 'film industry'. The only one I talked to at length was Alan Rickman and his partner, back in the early 2000's.
Last edited by Helol; 11th June 2026 at 10:14. Reason: typos!!
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From: UK
Steve Bruce from Luton to Milan
Richard Branson Heathrow to Las Vegas. He turned left as I turned right
David Beckham in a easyJet seat 1a as i was in 27ish ...before he was famous
Rory Mcilroy with a seat for his clubs next to him in BA Business class
Richard Branson Heathrow to Las Vegas. He turned left as I turned right
David Beckham in a easyJet seat 1a as i was in 27ish ...before he was famous
Rory Mcilroy with a seat for his clubs next to him in BA Business class
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From: Northumberland
One of the many glamorous and rewarding aspects of working in ground handling is having return to passengers things that they'd left on the aircraft or had confiscated from them (cigarette lighters shaped like hand grenades were popular). This is how a came to be giving Julie Goodyear a straw donkey. She was very happy.
Paxing All Over The World
Joined: May 2001
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From: Hertfordshire, UK.
I met Alan Rickman and his partner via my day job. As it happened, I'd met him about 20 years earlier in my then day job. A quiet, gentle and all round lovely bloke.
I remember seeing a retired cricketer at the front of a VS about to return from JNB, he was a couple of rows in front of me. He had been in the news at the time, hence recognising him but I cannot remember his name!
I remember seeing a retired cricketer at the front of a VS about to return from JNB, he was a couple of rows in front of me. He had been in the news at the time, hence recognising him but I cannot remember his name!
Joined: Dec 2001
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From: GA, USA
Met Penn & Teller the other day waiting for a US domestic flight. Met is a big word as I recognized them and just nodded hello and left them alone unlike some other people.
Penn ended up being seated behind me and Teller a little further back.
I’m not really in to star struck adoration unless it’s Taylor Swift of course.
Penn ended up being seated behind me and Teller a little further back.
I’m not really in to star struck adoration unless it’s Taylor Swift of course.
