Shaquille O’Neal is undoubtedly one of the biggest celebrities in the world. This is both literally, and figuratively. Standing at 7’1″ and weighing around 325 pounds, Shaq is a mountain of a man. However, that hasn’t stopped him from living his life to the fullest. That being said, if there is one thing he has struggled with, it’s commercial flights.
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As the Big Diesel revealed to GQ Sports, flying commercial was a huge problem for him. With his size and celebrity status, it was always a pain. Fortunately, he hasn’t had that problem for 15 years now, as he chose to fly private. In fact, he recently bought his own private jet, one worth a whopping $27,000,000.
Shaquille O’Neal struggled with long and painful commercial flights for years
Being as big as Shaquille O’Neal is sure to have its advantages. However, it comes with its fair share of disadvantages as well. Like, for example taking commercial flights. This is something that Shaq struggled with for years. And, as such, he had certain things he had to follow in order to enjoy his flight.
As he revealed to GQ Sports, he always had to get the first seat or sit at the back in the exit row. But, it was the longer flights that proved to be a major struggle for him. Back in the 80s, before he came into his NBA money, Shaq flew commercials frequently. This often led to some annoying scenarios, like when he had “two guys snoring on top” of him.
Fortunately, things have changed now. He may not get a bed his size, but he does fly Business Class nowadays (when he isn’t flying private) and recently did so on a trip to Abu Dhabi. So, it’s safe to say flying has become a lot easier for the Big Aristotle.
“Well, I have my own plane now, so I haven’t had that problem in 15 years. But to answer your question, it was a struggle. I always tried to get the first seat. If that wasn’t available, I’d try to go in the back and sit in the exit row. The longer flights were painful. I had two guys snoring on top of me one time. Not on top of me, but next to me! You know what I meant to say.”
It’s understandable why something like this would be a problem for him. But, with a net worth of $400,000,000, flying commercial hasn’t been a real problem for him in a while.
Shaq bought a $27,000,000 private jet to deal with the problem of flying
At this point, it’s pretty obvious that flying commercial has become a big “no-no” for Shaquille O’Neal. As such, he has dipped into his $400,000,000 net worth to make his life more comfortable. Dropping a whopping $27,000,000, Shaq recently bought himself a nice private jet.
It’s quite the looker too. Taking inspiration from Michael Jordan, Shaq got his iconic Dunkman logo plastered on the back and on the wings. Adding a personal touch to his new luxury purchase.
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At the end of the day, Shaq has come a long way. From struggling to fly 15 years ago to now being able to travel the world in the comfort of his own jet. It is a testament to the hard work he put in and the incredible career he had as an NBA superstar.
