MANILA, Philippines — No other boxer travels like Manny Pacquiao.
Not one, but two planes will ferry Team Pacquiao from General Santos City to Macau on Nov. 17.
A pair of Airbus 320s will be dispatched by AirAsia to transport the eight-division world champion’s ever-growing entourage for his WBO welterweight title duel against Chris Algieri on Nov. 23 at The Venetian Macao.
A high-density Airbus 320 seats 180, according to AirAsia Philippines ground operations chief Erick Arejola, for a total of 360 persons joining the nearly 3-hour flight after Pacquiao’s final workout in GenSan.
This isn’t the first time Team Pacquiao is flying in together.
In his two fights at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, in 2010 against Antonio Margarito and Joshua Clottey, respectively, Pacquiao also chartered jets for his entourage.
When he fights in Las Vegas, Pacquiao commutes by land with a convoy of over 30 vehicles, including a specialized bus that bears his enlarged image.
Not even The Greatest, Muhammad Ali, at the apex of his popularity, brought a contingent of over a hundred persons for big fights.
Even in fight promotions, Pacquiao travels in style, usually through a private jet as what happened when he and key Team Pacquiao members were flown from GenSan to Hong Kong—and back—to drumbeat the pay-per-view bout before the Chinese media late last month.
As Pacquiao’s official airline, AirAsia will deploy the same A320s that will bring Team Pacquiao back to GenSan after the fight on Nov. 24.
The Pacquiao-AirAsia deal will be formalized today with Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia and Joy Caneba, CEO of AirAsia Philippines, to sign the partnership agreement with Pacquiao.