Online Reporter
Their players and staff will have flown about 25,000 miles by the time they return home.
But they have not exactly been slumming it.
SunSport can reveal that Stamford Bridge bosses have forked out megabucks to charter one of the top private jets on the market.
An Airbus A340 300 can transport 100 passengers in extreme comfort, carry 1,000 bags and fly non-stop for up to 16 hours.
And to top it all off, they have gone for the VVIP edition.
Machinery that can ferry an entire team about at 540mph is never going to be cheap.
But a brand new jumbo jet with that spec would set you back somewhere in the region of £300MILLION. Throw in eight flight attendants, a sleek living area and comfy seats that fold flat into beds, and it is clear that this Chelsea mob is travelling in absolute luxury.
It would cost an estimated £400,000 to charter the jet just for the Australia to Hong Kong leg of the journey, which Chelsea completed over the weekend.
The Blues used the same plane to take them from Gatwick to Sydney, where they played pre-season friendlies against Western Sydney Wanderers and Tottenham.
It is not yet clear whether they will stick with the same equipment to take them on to Indonesia, Malaysia and then back home.
The Airbus A340 300 is the biggest jet in AirX’s private fleet.
They write on their company website: “This jet is perfect for travelling sports teams or musicians who want to safely and comfortably accommodate a large entourage and crew.
“A jet of this size requires ample co-ordination and planning, so we operate with a minimum of 8 cabin crew members who are on hand to attend to all of our passengers’ needs and requirements.
“Our team are adept at tailoring their service, from providing simple snacks and beverages to lavish VIP-style meals.
“The wide body dual-aisle cabin includes 100 lie flat seats that can also easily configured into beds, with pyjamas and other amenities available to ensure a restful journey.”
The next instalment in Chelsea’s pre-season tour is a heavyweight clash with Juventus in Kowloon on Wednesday.
They then face AC Milan in Jakarta three days later and local team Johor Darul Ta’zim in Malaysia the following day before returning to Stamford Bridge for a final warm-up against Real Sociedad.
Xabi Alonso‘s side should then be well limbered up for their Premier League opener at Fulham on August 24 – Sun.
