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By Alice Gibbs
Senior Reporter
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A viral social media post has sparked fresh debate about equity in sports after members of the gold‑medal‑winning U.S. women’s hockey team were spotted flying home on a commercial flight following the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
In a video shared online, one airline passenger shared footage that appeared to show some of the Team USA women onboard the flight from Atlanta to Minneapolis. Newsweek reached out to Team USA but could not confirm whether the athletes flew commercial for the whole return journey.
The video captured attention online as viewers pointed out a sharp contrast to the men’s team, who returned to the U.S. earlier on a chartered flight after securing their own Olympic gold.
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Why It Matters
Despite the fact that the video only shows the second leg of the athletes' journey, the images have renewed conversations about disparities in how male and female athletes are supported.
Coming off a celebrated overtime win against Canada, many fans were surprised to see the women's team flying in a standard cabin after achieving the same top‑tier result at the games.
What to Know
A passenger on the flight posted a video on Threads showing several women’s team members boarding a commercial aircraft, writing that “12 of 23 USA Women’s Hockey Gold Medalists” were onboard.
The clip shows players settling into the commercial flight seats, which quickly triggered online criticism and questions about why the two championship teams appeared to return under different arrangements.
“Men's team flew on a charter, women took commercial flights,” said one commenter. While another wrote: “Why isn't anyone congratulating them?!!”
“The men’s team gets the royal treatment while the women fly back in coach?" said another reply.
Other posts on Threads shared that they also spotted the athletes on board the flight. One commenter said: "I was on that flight, too! Delta went all out for them which was awesome to witness."
At the same time, the U.S. men’s hockey team have become embroiled in controversy after a viral video showed their post‑win phone call with President Donald Trump, during which the president joked: "If [I] did not invite the women’s team, I do believe I probably would be impeached."
Instead of challenging the comment, the men laughed along, prompting backlash online and renewed scrutiny over how the women’s team is treated and discussed at the national level.
What Happens Next
As the post continues to circulate, the U.S. women’s hockey team declined Trump’s invitation to attend his State of the Union address on Tuesday, citing tight travel schedules and professional commitments immediately following their Olympic gold medal win.
In response, rapper Flavor Flav has offered to host the team for a celebration in Las Vegas, with various brands including Alaska Airlines and Stub Hub also offering to help.
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