Chiefs’ team plane stranded at airport for hours amid blizzard
Dec 27, 2020; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of a Kansas City Chiefs helmet before the game against the Atlanta Falcons at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The Kansas City Chiefs had an extremely difficult time getting off the ground to travel to Denver for Sunday’s game against the Broncos.
Kansas City was under a blizzard warning on Saturday, and air travel to and from Kansas City International Airport was significantly impacted by the weather. That included the Chiefs’ team plane, which spent hours on the runway waiting to be cleared for takeoff.
The team was originally slated to leave for Denver at 2:45 p.m. local time, but wound up stranded as the airport temporarily closed due to icy conditions. Later, the de-icing machine at the airport broke, causing further delays.
Received calls .. and confirmed by team, the #Chiefs are stranded in KC currently. Were set to leave around 2:45 earlier today. https://t.co/EYLX58gGQF
— Harold R. Kuntz (@HaroldRKuntz3) January 4, 2025
And the #Chiefs still haven’t left yet. Four hours on the runway. https://t.co/PnfLBK4Hup
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 4, 2025
The Chiefs had made an effort to move the flight up to leave ahead of the worst of the weather. However, their charter plane was delayed getting to Kansas City, which prevented that effort from succeeding.
Can confirm, Chiefs charter still at MCI. The club tried to move the flight up but the charter plane was delayed arriving in KC and had to stick with regularly scheduled departure.
Hope is a runway gets cleared and takeoff possible soon. https://t.co/z4WIJAW6op
— Matt Derrick (@mattderrick) January 4, 2025
The Chiefs were finally able to get off the ground once the airport reopened early Saturday evening, albeit after a lengthy delay that left them stranded on the runway for over four hours.
The Kanas City Chiefs charter flight out of KCI has officially taken off. First departure after airport reopened.
Scheduled 1 hour, 45 minute flight to Denver.
— Matt Derrick (@mattderrick) January 4, 2025
The Chiefs already clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC and had decided they will play backups for Sunday’s game, including Carson Wentz at quarterback in place of Patrick Mahomes. This was already going to be a strange game for them, but the travel chaos will make it even more unusual.