Delta bumps 50 passengers to accommodate Florida basketball team

Delta Air Lines canceled a commercial flight on Sunday after allowing the University of Florida’s men’s basketball team to use the airplane, according to the Gainesville Sun.

When a maintenance delay grounded the plane scheduled to fly the Gators to their Monday night game against UConn, the airline commandeered the plane for Florida’s charter flight. But the airline said in a statement Tuesday that the team was not given preferential treatment.

A passenger from the cancelled flight told the Sun that the change forced passengers to drive to airports in Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa, and some decided it was easier to drive to Atlanta.