Red Wings Fined For Violating Bizarre Airport Curfew

The Wings owe the city of San Jose some cash, all because their team flight landed in San Jose too late at night. Gamesmanship, or just a stupid law?

Hockey players are known for their late-night exploits, and there's probably not a lot to do after midnight on a Tuesday in San Jose, but this little excursion wasn't scheduled.

You know the Eagles? That '70s band that's just kind of OK, I guess, but somehow they always show up on those lists of most sold albums? Well, they're playing the HP Pavilion Friday and Saturday night, meaning game one of Sharks-Red Wings had to go down tonight, an unnaturally quick turnaround. Especially for Detroit, who needed a seventh game in Phoenix/Glendale on Tuesday. So they hopped on the plane right after the game.

They landed in San Jose at 12:19 a.m., 49 minutes after flights are allowed to land without incurring a $2500 fine at Norman Mineta San Jose International Airport. It's meant to keep the neighbors from being disturbed, but, really, you're going to live next to an airport, and worry about the noise?

Oh, and in case your wondering, the Sharks landed late 18 times this season. But their plane is exempt from the rule. Which is good, because $45,000 is probably enough to bankrupt an NHL team.

Home-airport advantage: Red Wings face fine after flight into San Jose lands 49 minutes past curfew [San Jose Mercury News]