WNBA union president was stuck overnight at airport between games. She's calling for league to allow charter flights for teams

By Jill Martin, CNN

Updated 0438 GMT (1238 HKT) August 9, 2022

Nneka Ogwumike of the Los Angeles Sparks.

(CNN)Unlike in the NBA, WNBA teams aren't permitted to use charter planes for travel. And, much like other airline passengers flying commercial these days, that has caused headaches for WNBA teams in the midst of travel.

The latest example has come with the Los Angeles Sparks. One of their star players is Nneka Ogwumike — who happens to be the Women's National Basketball Players Association president. After getting stuck at an airport overnight between games, she's calling on the league to take action, saying in a statement, «A lot has changed in the commercial travel landscape since we negotiated our current CBA,» referring to the collective bargaining agreement that took effect in 2020.After the Sparks defeated the Washington Mystics on Sunday, Ogwumike posted a video on social media early Monday while trying to fly home from Washington DC, saying, «We are roaming the airport. It's the first time in my 11 seasons that I've ever had to sleep in the airport.»But, based on travel, she later adds, «it was only a matter of time.»More than 500 US flights canceled and more than 2,000 delayed on MondayAccording to the flight tracking website FlightAware, it was a miserable weekend to fly, as 951 flights were canceled Sunday across the United States, and more than 8,000 flights Sunday were delayed.Read MoreOgwumike, who said in the video it was 1:44 a.m. as she was recording herself, said their flight was delayed multiple times before it was canceled at 1 a.m. The team was rebooked for 9 a.m. Ogwumike said there weren't enough hotel rooms for the entire team, so half of the team stayed the night in the airport. Later Monday