Professional athletes get to travel in a style that not even frequent business travelers get to do. But their travel schedules are more hectic.
Unfortunately, for Canadian-based teams and teams traveling to Canada, traveling for the job just become rather difficult.
Let's have The Associated Press explain the situation:
Years of exemptions for sports teams ended in August when the United States Department of Transportation stepped up enforcement of a rule that prohibits foreign charter carriers from making domestic flights between American cities. Canada responded by enforcing the rule on its side of the border.
If you have trouble following the logic of any of this, you are not alone.
So because of restrictions due to terrorism (among baseball players??), the United States made it illegal for a foreign charter to fly between U.S. cities. Then, Canada struck back on its side of the border.
Where this really gets messed up, the Toronto Blue Jays — using an American charter company — was going to Detroit. The logical choice was to fly into Windsor and then bus across the river to the stadium. But due to the rules change, the Blue Jays had to fly all the way to Detroit Metro, far away from the stadium.
The proposal primarily affects the NHL and teams traveling to the Toronto Raptors of the NBA (and of course, the Raptors themselves). It might force teams to fly back home in between road trips, adding aggravation to a busy travel schedule.
But this is the latest in the ongoing "pissing match" between the two countries over travel restrictions to make each country seem "tough on terrorism." Yes, the United States started it, but both countries share a level of blame.
Trucks carrying products and produce have suffered as have vacationers because of this grudge match. The U.S. and Canada have had a mostly friendly relationship for years. The sooner they get back to being mostly friends, the happier the citizens will be in their travels, even professional athletes.