As if losing to the same franchise in under four days was not torture enough for the Chicago Sky, they also had to bear the plight of uneasy travel. After the nightmare that 68-86 against Pheonix Mercury was, the Sky hoopers had to further endure being on the tarmac of Chicago O’Hare International Airport past 3 AM. And as tiredness, sleep deprivation, and high waiting time hit, Angel Reese took to X to voice her frustration.

The No. 7 WNBA Draft pick wrote, “why is it 3:47am and we still not home???” With what unfolded just a few hours ago, it seems like the prayers of this 22-year-old remain unheard so far. Back in May, when Indiana Fever was enveloped in the comfort of flying in a charter plane, not every WNBA franchise had that privilege. Hence, on her way to a matchup in Dallas, Reese took to Instagram to voice how she hopes that this is the last time she flies commercially. She wrote, “Just praying that this is one of the last commercial flights the Chicago Sky has to fly.”

Fast forward to a couple of hours ago, Angel Reese’s frustration echoed that of many players across the league who were still dealing with the hassles of commercial travel as the WNBA had not yet fully nailed the charter program. The frustration was also evident in the Instagram post of Sky’s #0 guard.

Diamond DeShields also documented the experience with an Instagram story showing the players as they tiredly picked up their luggage from the conveyor belts. Meanwhile, some of them considered taking an Uber back to their home. She said, “They told us that our bus was a hour away and that we had to walk through the airport, get our luggage off of a conveyor belt and now are outside, waiting for Ubers to take us home…at whatever time this is.”

The experience was a far cry from the promise of charter flights that would do away with the travel nightmares. Naturally, everyone wondered whether the problem was with the plan put into place by the league. So, what is this WNBA’s $25 million dollar promise? Let’s have a look.

The WNBA’s Charter dilemma

In May 2024, NWSL announced that all teams would use charter flights and there would be no more commercial flights from May 21 onwards. The players heaved a sigh of relief as they have long raised concerns over issues related to commercial travel. It’s not just a matter of physical health; it’s a matter of safety. The ordeal that Brittney Griner had to face at the Dallas area airport earlier this year brought new attention to the vulnerabilities some WNBA athletes are leaving themselves open to by flying commercially.

This program, with a budget estimated at $25 million a year over the next few years, was to cover all aspects and put the well-being of players first. It was a transition on which Commissioner Cathy Engelbert had stated there would be great emphasis, but the reality has been, in fact, mixed.

While most of the teams have found the benefits under the charter program, some like the Chicago Sky keep having the same old travel problems. A patchy roll-out has continued to frustrate players and coaches alike, with apparent differences in travel experiences.

As the WNBA continues to solidify its initiative of charter flights, the aforementioned incident with Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky players reminds us that a lot of work needs to be done.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.