The NBA is working to lease 13 Airbus planes to provide team travel as the league seeks to improve working conditions for players around the league.
All of the VIP Airbus A321neo aircraft will be fitted with custom features and will be leased through SMBC Aviation Capital. The planes will feature custom lie-flat beds and humidifiers, adjustable lighting, and a cabin altitude equivalent of less than 6,000 feet- all with the goal of reducing player travel fatigue and improving performance. Delta Airlines, a longtime partner of the NBA, is expected to operate the jets.
Player health and performance is driving the league to upgrade travel amenities in an era where NBA franchises closely monitor every possible variable tied to performance and injury reduction. Studies have suggested a link between long flights and diminished on-court team results soon after; in theory, higher-quality jets could reduce that effect, improving competitive balance.
The NBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Corporate Jet Investor was first to report the news.
An Airbus A321neo can fit 244 passengers in “a higher-density arrangement,” the company’s website says. The planes will hold NBA players, coaches, staffers and equipment.
In the past, the NBA has used retrofitted former commercial airplanes for player travel, but those have comfort limitations. To help combat the toll on players riding cross-country flights, the league has made an effort to reduce road back-to-backs.
Not every team is expected to be in the rotation of clubs using the VIP Airbus A321neo aircraft. Several organizations, including the Dallas Mavericks, travel with their own private jets.
Long-distance logistics have also been top-of-mind in the WNBA, which partnered with Delta Airlines teams to provide a league-wide chartered flight system for the first time.
