Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
More Rich Kids Are Flying Private Planes To Summer Camp: A NY Times EXCLUSIVE
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 25, 2011
Modified Jul 25, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 25, 2011
Modified Jul 25, 2011
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
If you enjoyed the recent NY Times features on $50,000 tree houses, must-have home bartenders, and buying your kids an apartment to teach them financial responsibility, you're sure to love today's exclusive on another rich people trend: flying charter planes to summer camp. "More of the nation’s wealthier families are cutting out the car ride and chartering planes to fly to summer camps," reports Christine Haughney. "One private jet broker, Todd Rome of Blue Star Jets, said his summer-camp business had jumped 30 percent over the last year." One small airport manager in Maine even hired two extra people last weekend to handle all the traffic—and yet Democrats still want to raise taxes on job creators like Melissa Thomas, a Connecticut mom who brought her daughter home from camp in Maine in turboprop Pilatus PC-12.
Thomas was able to pick up her daughter and get home in under six hours, sparing her what the Times describes as the "arduous logistics" of traveling to a remote town in Maine. And after a few days of roughing it at camp, who can begrudge these youths some modern conveniences, like catered meals aboard the plane. According one airport manager in Maine, a typical food order from a wealthy camper headed home was "a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a fruit cup with a single strawberry, a juice box, a banana and a cookie or brownie." Tragically, Haute Dogs were not on the menu.
Anyway, it's an important article, and it's great to see the Times continues to stay relevant with trendy reports for and about affluent readers... Unless of course they're exposing the decadent lifestyles of the rich and famous with the secret hope of inciting a proletarian revolution. There are certainly plenty of "Eat the Job Creators" outrage in the comments section; here are our five favorite.
- Really, NYT? Another "The wealthy are frivolously throwing money around while you dear reader are desperately grasping to hang onto a middle class lifestyle" article? Can ya at least give us a longer break between articles like the mini-mansion tree houses & private jets for spoiled rich tweens.
- I know people have the right to make choices with their money, but I am offended to read that campers take private planes. Have their parents heard about the starving children in Somalia? Do they think about the impoverished kids in cities who never get a couple of weeks of fresh air? What values are they teaching their children? It's time for higher taxes on those making above $250,000 a year.
- What business is it of anyone's if these families can afford to do this. They're not asking anyone else to pay for it, unlike some other elements of our society that always seem to want some one else to pick up the tab.
- I for one am very, very glad this poor child's family won't have to pay more taxes so my family can get the medicare benefits they need.
- "Let them eat S'mores"!
Tagged
expensive
little rich
ny times
outrageous
private planes
rich
richie rich
Summer Camp
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Man shot and killed on Midtown subway platform Saturday afternoon, NYPD says
Police said they're searching for a person of interest.
By
Ryan Kost
Published Oct 17, 2026 at 1:16 p.m. ET
Modified Oct 17, 2026 at 2:04 p.m. ET
Have you seen this Yorkie? NYPD looking for adorable pup dognapped from her Queens home
Suspects were driving a Subaru Forester, police said.
By
Ryan Kost
News
Have you seen this Yorkie? NYPD looking for adorable pup dognapped from her Queens home
Suspects were driving a Subaru Forester, police said.
By
Ryan Kost
Being reigning champions is weird for Knicks fans, but we could get used to this.
By
Catalina Gonella
Tompkins Square Park is getting a makeover. Some say it's too much.
By
Willow Higgins
Deer are all over New Jersey roads looking for sex, state officials warn
By
Rosemary Misdary
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .