Summary
- The WNBA is partnering with Delta Air Lines for full-time charter flights.
- It is expected to cost more than $45 million and increase player safety and comfort.
- The players’ union praises the move as it allows for athlete recovery and the growth of the league.
Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines will transport the majority of professional players from the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) through its charter operations this year. The flight program, which reportedly is the first of its kind, will cover the entire league for the regular season, which begins on Tuesday.
The WNBA announced the move last week, saying the charter flight service will be full-time for the next two years. It comes as player safety concerns have risen, with high-profile rookies such as Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese set to make their professional debuts.
“Charter flights for the long term”
In a statement obtained by National Public Radio (NPR), WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert commented on the new program on Thursday.
“We are thrilled to announce the launch of a full charter program as soon as practical for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, a testament to the continued growth of the WNBA. We have been hard at work to transform the business and build a sustainable economic model to support charter flights for the long term.”
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According to ESPN, the program is expected to cost $50 million – $25 million each year. With charter flights, the players will no longer have to wait in long security queues or have bodyguards in public places. They will also be free from cramped legroom on some flights and layovers.
Increased scrutiny
The players have reportedly been lobbying for better travel accommodations, but the WNBA was put under the spotlight earlier this month after Caitlin Clark was seen boarding a commercial flight and walking through a terminal at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) with several security personnel surrounding her.
The Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) is the union that represents WNBA players. Nneka Ogwumike, the union’s President, said that charter flights are more than “a safety measure,” according to ESPN.
“Chartering flights not only is a safety measure, the biggest thing, and then obviously what it means to be able to play a game and go home and rest and recover and be the elite athletes that we try to be every single night when we step out onto this court. It’s a great day for our league as a whole that we are able to get here and we’re going to continue to grow and continue to build and continue to push for even better.”
“Elevated service”
For years, the WNBA has reportedly resorted to commercial flights for financial reasons. Charter or private flights are also prohibited in the collective bargaining agreement between the league and the WNBPA unless they are in the postseason or during the regular season when teams have back-to-back games, according to Dallas local ABC affiliate WFAA.
“It’s exciting to add the WNBA to our prestigious roster of sports charter partners as we participate in this historic advancement in women’s professional sports,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian to NPR. “We’re looking forward to providing the WNBA with the welcoming, caring and elevated service that Delta people have made famous.”
The airline has provided charter services for over 60 years. While it says, “aircraft type is determined by the projected passenger count in conjunction with aircraft and crew availability,” the carrier has a subfleet of Boeing 757-200 aircraft specially configured for charter flights.
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