For the first time, eight NFL teams were dropped this season by commercial airline carriers that offered charted flights, according to league sources.
American Airlines dropped the Miami Dolphins, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars while United Airlines dropped the Bills and Lions. The airlines dropped the teams because they can make more money flying those planes commercially.
Teams have been forced to scramble to secure charters with other smaller companies that don’t have as many planes. The move has teams concerned about potential issues getting to games if there are any mechanical issues to their primary aircraft this season.
Smaller companies can’t subservice nearly as quick as the bigger commercial airline carriers. Two of the airlines that teams now are using are Atlas and Omni Air International, which also fly military charters, and gives priority to military matters.
The NFL’s travel issues have gotten so topsy-turvy that the Buffalo Bills actually flew to Atlanta this weekend on two NBA-owned planes operated by Delta Airlines, per league sources. Delta went to the NBA and asked if it could the league’s aircrafts for NFL teams, and the NBA signed off on using them until they are needed.
The NBA recently purchased 11 planes for well over $100 million, but it now has its own fleet of planes whereas the NFL has left each team to handle itself, leading to an in-industry issue that has left teams scrambling and frustrated.