The New York Liberty experienced a significant travel disruption Wednesday, spending 10 hours stranded on the tarmac due to a combination of severe weather and aircraft issues. The team was en route to Dallas for a scheduled game against the Dallas Wings on Thursday night.
Rookie Pauline Astier shared the ordeal on her Instagram story, posting around 10:25 p.m. ET that the team was still on the tarmac, over 10 hours after their initial delay began. The Federal Aviation Administration had issued a ground stop for both Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field on Wednesday afternoon as a storm moved through North Texas, impacting flights.
Severe thunderstorms in the New York area also contributed to flight delays on Wednesday.
The Liberty's travel woes led to the cancellation of their Thursday morning shootaround. The team is currently in the middle of a four-game road trip. They lost to the Minnesota Lynx on Saturday and the Toronto Tempo on Sunday before returning home briefly. Their schedule includes the game against the Wings on Thursday night, followed by a trip to face the Indiana Fever on Saturday.