Cowboys delayed by Dallas airport chaos ahead of Bears game
Dallas travel disruption stemming from local telecommunications issue slows departure to Chicago for Week 3 matchup; team boards late but game remains on schedule
The Dallas Cowboys were delayed en route to Chicago as a mass airport disruption threatened their Week 3 game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. The Cowboys are scheduled to kick off at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, with hopes of moving to 2-1 against the winless Bears.
Departure was scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET Friday, but the team found itself stuck as hundreds of flights were canceled amid ongoing travel chaos. The Federal Aviation Administration said it was slowing flights at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport because of a reported local telephone company equipment issue, an issue the agency said did not involve FAA equipment. The same problems were affecting Dallas Love Field, according to the FAA, which noted Love Field’s difficulties were separate from FAA equipment. The FAA expected the delays to continue well into Friday night.
Flight data aggregates cited by FlightAware showed the disruption extending beyond the Cowboys’ plans: nearly 700 flights in and out of DFW were delayed, with about 200 canceled. About 160 flights at Love Field were delayed, with one canceled. The travel problems continued to affect the Cowboys’ plans into Saturday, contributing to a late departure from Dallas as players and staff were unable to board their initially scheduled takeoff.
Despite the uncertainty, the team eventually boarded their flight around 4:40 p.m. ET. The late departure risked impacting their pregame night routine and travel logistics, though the timetable for Sunday’s contest remained in place. The Cowboys will look to rebound from their recent results as they head to Soldier Field to face a Bears team still seeking its first win of the season; the Week 3 matchup remains on the schedule for kickoff in the afternoon window.