Flight Delays Disrupt Knicks Fans’ Plans for Finals
Some Knicks fans hoping to witness their team’s potential historic NBA Finals victory in San Antonio will unfortunately miss the opportunity.
A fan account reported that a group of eager Knicks supporters had planned to take an American Airlines flight from LaGuardia Airport to Austin at 12:30 p.m. ET to see the Knicks aim for their first championship in over half a century. However, after a series of delays, that now seems unlikely for many.
The original departure time of 12:30 p.m. was first pushed back to 2:30 p.m., then to 4 p.m., and finally to 5 p.m. Given travel time from Austin to San Antonio, it means fans will likely arrive too late for the 8:30 p.m. tip-off of Game 5 at Frostbank Center.
At one point, a fan joked on social media that maybe Spurs fans were somehow controlling air traffic, noting the flight had no crew by 3:11 p.m.
This particular fan later announced he decided not to board because, with the flight now set for 5 p.m., it would make it impossible to reach the game.
He shared, “The plane got delayed until 5 o’clock. So, no one was making it to the game anymore. All the Knicks fans opted not to board at that point. If they told you to get off because of the delays, why would you get back on?”
Reactions on social media varied. Some expressed sympathy, while others pointed out that his last-minute decision seemed poorly planned. One user suggested maybe he could check with MSG for alternatives like future games or events.
Another chimed in, questioning why they wouldn’t have flown out a day earlier to ensure they made it. It’s a fair point, though I suppose it’s easy to second-guess.
The travel disruptions stemmed from severe thunderstorms affecting the tri-state area on Friday.
Another Knicks supporter, Toby Hyde from Brooklyn, faced similar challenges trying to catch a flight from JFK to San Antonio, also needing to create backup plans due to the weather.
Despite the potential setbacks for fans, the Knicks still have a chance to secure a title against the Spurs in Game 5 Saturday night, marking their first championship win since 1973.
