How the Washington Commanders transport an entire NFL team to London
Here’s what it takes to fly the Washington Commanders to London
The Washington Commanders are on their way to London for a matchup with the Indianapolis Colts.
DULLES, Va. - The Washington Commanders are on their way to London for Sunday's match-up against the Indianapolis Colts.
What we know:
However, getting an entire NFL franchise across the Atlantic requires extensive planning long before the team ever sets foot at the airport. United Airlines staff at Dulles International Airport work for weeks, and sometimes months, in advance to organize and prepare for the massive international charter flight.
Hours before the players arrive at Dulles, crew members screen, weigh and load burgundy-and-gold cargo by the box load onto a United 777-300ER, the largest aircraft in United's fleet by seating capacity.
"There's over 23,000 pounds of cargo on this, and when I say cargo, that means their uniforms, that means their Gatorade, that means what they put the Gatorade in, all the equipment," said United Airlines employee Jim. "It’s exciting; that’s our hometown team. We wanna make sure that they get there, and they’re ready to go, and they actually win the game."
FOX 5 confirmed that both pilots flying the charter are fans of the team.
Also among the crew is flight attendant Kathy Turner, who has been with United for more than 38 years and has flown Commanders charters for about seven years. Over time, her relationship with the team has grown beyond simply serving high-profile passengers.
"As a flight attendant, we get to know the players, and being with them for more than seven years, I’ve seen them get married, have children, have more children," Turner said. "Everything is set up for them right now. We put the pillows and blankets, get their seat assignments, prepare the meal, and everything ready for them to go."
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Onboard the plane, players get first dibs on the lie-flat Polaris seats, though candy and alcohol are omitted from the flight. Even the in-flight menu is strategic, developed with help from the Commanders' nutrition staff to feature specialized options like steak, green beans, smoothies and chicken quesadillas.
Before the players turn in to sleep, head coach Dan Quinn sometimes takes to the plane's intercom to say a few words.
"They are simply fantastic," Turner said of the squad. "What you see on the field as a brotherhood, they are like that on the airplane... but we want them to really enjoy and calm down, because they have to win and they’re going to win."
Riding a wave of momentum following Sunday's victory over the Seattle Seahawks, the Commanders hope to carry that energy overseas to secure another win in London.
The Commanders face off against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
Once the team arrives in London, more details are expected to emerge regarding quarterback Jayden Daniels and whether he will be ready to return to the field.
The Source: Information in this article is from original FOX 5 DC reporting.