Winnipeg Jets and Road Trip Flights

Winnipeg Jets and the Canada Life Centre is a big operation. Management consists of no less than 17 vice-presidents. In addition to managing the Jets, Moose and facilities such as the Canada Life Centre, Hockey for All Centre (Iceplex), Burton Cummings Theatre, True North Square and soon to come: Portage Place. There is a lot of real estate that is part of the overall company.

I think that it is hard to fully appreciate the impact a professional hockey team has on the city of Winnipeg. The management of two hockey teams is not the only part of community engagement. The Jets employ a communications team to reach people in a variety of ways. It isn't just radio, TV and web broadcasts of the games providing information and entertainment but TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.

In a post on their social media that has gone viral, the Jets showed what is involved in a road trip. It first appeared on Instagram but is has been on TikTok and drew the attention of the National Post because it sheds some light on a area of hockey operations. It follows the Jets as they board their aircraft and head off to Edmonton for first game of season.

The initial Instagram post was produced by the Jets digital team which makes all hockey content. It is a combination of pictures, video and some information about the flight preparation that the team does. Each away game involves the transportation of 2,100 kilos of equipment which is 4,700 pounds. The 26 players on the team are about the same weight. Add coaching staff, media team and air crew loads the modified Air Canada Airbus 320 to capacity.

Air Canada has a division with Airbuses called Air Canada Jetz. It has four aircraft that provide surfaces for all Canadian NHL teams and the Seattle Kraken. The livery is a dark black with the logo of the airline. When they travel for the Jets, the team logo is all over luxury leather seats. As with all airlines, food service is provided. These jets are used for other charters to including election periods.

The two tonnes of luggage includes hockey bags for every player, five sticks each, two games jerseys, multiple practice jerseys, two skate sharpening machine, sewing machine and all the supplies that come with it. The players have their own personal bags. They are required suits for business travel when heading to work.

Everything is loaded on the tarmac off a truck and Air Canada has gotten down to 15 minutes. On long road trips, no one wants to be at the airport for too long. There are 41 away games and they are coast to coast and back and forth over the border. Add play-offs and that is a lot of travel!

And this is just the Jets. Let's not forget the Manitoba Moose travel by airplane as well. I haven't heard what they travel in now but it used to a prop plane from Calm Air. They were one of the few teams in the AHL to have one.

The media team with their story on team plane travel gave insight into what a road trip was like: the business side, the social side and the human interest side. Amazon is showing what is behind the curtain and there is an audience for it. TikTok or BookTok says hockey romance novels are among the best sellers and responsible for a growing fan base of women in hockey.

The truth is that hockey teams and hockey broadcasts are evolving and social media and streaming are playing bigger roles than ever.