<p>Parents dropping their kids to college in a car stuffed with blankets and tinned food is a common sight on the streets of university towns across the world. But one company is attempting to put the bling into university travel by offering a £25,000 ($41,562) package to students wanting to arrive by private jet and fast cars.</p>
<p>If a student can afford to do this, I sincerely hope that they are paying the full amount of their tuition. </p>
<p>I don’t even get the point of this. It’s not like you can land at in front of the school in the private jet. This all seems to be about “initial impact” kind of stuff. You can “arrive in style.” Yeah, I’m sure the air traffic controller at the airport 40 miles away from the school will be very impressed. </p>
<p>I’d be more impressed by arrival right on campus via helicopter. Weren’t there complaints at Choate about the Donald’s helicopter landing on the athletic fields when ivanka was a student there?</p>
<p>That’s the way to look at it, but it can get out of hand. I had another friend whose spouse (at the time) wanted him to commute to work by helicopter. He lamented that being able to afford things affected some people’s judgement on whether it made good sense. </p>
<p>“I’d be more impressed by arrival right on campus via helicopter. Weren’t there complaints at Choate about the Donald’s helicopter landing on the athletic fields when ivanka was a student there?”</p>
<p>I was roommates at college with the best friend of a granddaughter of Nelson Rockfeller and he landed his helicopter on her school’s baseball diamond. Told me many people were very upset as it ruined the pitcher’s mound. </p>
<p>Lots of parents at my son’s sleepaway camp came by helicopter or private jet on visiting day. </p>
<p>A friend of mine went to the Super Bowl one year on the Donald’s private jet. She said it was gorgeous, but no shoes allowed once inside and no red wine. </p>
<p>Where I grew up more than a few families had their living room furniture covered with plastic. I always vowed that if I couldn’t afford to have a few stains on the furniture, I wouldn’t have the furniture. The story about Trump’s jet reminds me of the Four Seasons movie and the guy who kept saying “No eating in my Mercedes.” </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Theres the old story about the middle class climber who wants to impress his wealthily family girl date, and shows up to get her in a Rolls Royce. She gets in the passenger side and is verbalizes how effusively impressed she is with the leather, walnut trim, coachwork and the rest. He smiles and smugly says “Haven’t you ever been in a Rolls before?”, and she responds “Well, actually I have, but never in the front seat”. </p>
<p>Not at Choate, but I attended Ivanka’s graduation at Penn and no,the Donald, his sons and then fiancé Milania did not land on Franklin Field, but they walked on the field to their seats while everyone else, including Ivana, went to their seats through regular entrances.</p>
<p>We have never flown a private jet but our D never said much about the one time she was a passenger in one. Guess we’ll have to ask her because I don’t think it likely I will get to ride in one in the near future.</p>
<p>When ds2 was applying to schools I was at a party and met a mom who was head of the parents’ group at one LAC he was considering. She was so sweet, offering to give my ds a ride to/from school with her ds on their private plane at the holidays and breaks. He ended up not going there, but I always wanted to go to Parents’ Weekend with them in their private plane!</p>
<p>Had a 6th grader at my school suggest his Dad’s helicopter as a way to get kids from field trip venue to band contest when kids couldn’t attend both.
Fortunately the FAA had regulations.<br>
This was pre-9/11.</p>
<p>“A friend of mine went to the Super Bowl one year on the Donald’s private jet. She said it was gorgeous, but no shoes allowed once inside and no red wine.”</p>
<p>No red wine? What a weenie. I’ll take my upgraded first class or coach with free drink coupons any time, thank you very much. At least you get red wine!</p>
I always vowed that if I couldn’t afford to have a few stains on the furniture, I wouldn’t have the furniture. The story about Trump’s jet reminds me of the Four Seasons movie and the guy who kept saying “No eating in my Mercedes.” </p>