A Russian ice hockey team still celebrating its victory over Canada in the World Junior Championships final was booted from a flight Thursday morning because of unruly behavior.
About 30 members of the Russian entourage were asked to depart a Delta Air Lines flight to Atlanta, according to Buffalo Niagara International Airport spokesman C. Douglas Hartmayer.
"To ensure the safe operation of the flight, the crew of Flight 1266 denied boarding to 30 passengers who were traveling together and displaying unruly behavior," Delta spokeswoman Susan Chana Elliott said.
"The passengers are being rebooked on a future flight."
The Russians defeated Canada 5-3 in Wednesday's world junior final at Buffalo, winning their first gold medal since 2003 while Canada lost for the second time in a row after having taken the title five times in a row.
While players were all 20 or under, below the US legal drinking age of 21, several Russian coaches and trainers were on the ice after the victory with whiskey.
After being removed from the airplane, the Russian delegation returned to the baggage terminal to await the return of their baggage from the fight.
Curtis Hall, who drove the bus used by the Russian group from their hotel to the plane, told the Buffalo News the players were far from sober when they boarded at three in the morning for the trip to the airport.
"They were definitely intoxicated, that's for sure," Hall said. "They were so drunk they had to carry a couple of the guys onto the bus."
Players honked the bus horn in their merrymaking on the journey to the airport and Hall was forced to delay his departure because one player had so much trouble leaving the bus.
"I was glad to get rid of them," he said.
AFP
Sign up for the Traveller newsletter
The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now.