Road trips may soon be getting more interesting for NFL teams.
Per a league source, roughly 20 teams may end up without charter arrangements for the 2017 season. According to Forbes.com, American recently suspended its charter arrangements with six NFL franchises: the Cardinals, Ravens, Colts, Jaguars, Dolphins, and Steelers.
According to the Forbes report, American will continue to service the Panthers, Cowboys, and Eagles.
The reason given for the suspension of service is that the airline lacks the machinery to do the job. A cynic would predict that it’s the first step toward a supply-demand effort by American to throw a thumb or two onto the scale for cost-insensitive clients.
The issue, based on information from PFT’s source, extends beyond American Airlines. Delta is believed to be doing the same thing, and United could be next. The source said that roughly 20 teams currently don’t have a charter provider for the coming season, and that it could become a “real issue” for the league.