How the travel chaos is wreaking havoc on the NCAA March Madness tournament

The partial U.S. government shutdown has made air travel incredibly difficult over the past few weeks as many airports are facing major staffing shortages. The timing centers around spring break, when many go on trips—and also when the NCAA Basketball Championships take place. It takes a massive effort to coordinate travel plans for 68 men’s and women’s basketball teams, over the course of just a few days in between the Selection Show on Sunday night and the first games, whether they are on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Add on the compounding travel issues of staff shortages, charter plane shortages, and now, the price of jet fuel rising significantly in the wake of the military operations in Iran, and it becomes even harder. On February 24, the NCAA sent a memo to its institutions outlining its changing travel guidelines due to these problems. “Extreme flexibility will be required this championship season,” it said. “Participating schools should expect 100% screen