{"id":2491,"date":"2026-06-20T04:37:43","date_gmt":"2026-06-20T04:37:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=2491"},"modified":"2026-06-20T04:37:43","modified_gmt":"2026-06-20T04:37:43","slug":"jj-watt-american-airlines-help-rescue-viral-stranded-german-tourist-freddy-in-time-for-world-cup-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=2491","title":{"rendered":"JJ Watt, American Airlines help rescue viral stranded German tourist Freddy in time for World Cup game"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Viral German soccer fan Freddy\u2019s frantic race to reach Germany\u2019s World Cup match in Toronto appeared headed for a happy ending late Friday after he revealed he was finally airborne following a day of weather delays, canceled flights and a social media campaign to get him to Canada.<\/p>\n

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\u201cUPDATE: We\u2019re on the plane to Buffalo!!!\u201d Freddy wrote on X. \u201cAmerican Airlines was incredibly helpful and made it possible for us to get on this flight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Freddy also credited former NFL star JJ Watt, who he said worked behind the scenes to help arrange the last-minute travel plans after severe weather threatened to derail his trip to Saturday\u2019s Germany-Ivory Coast showdown.<\/p>\n

The update capped a dramatic day in which thousands of supporters flooded social media with alternate routes, flight suggestions and even private-jet offers after Freddy feared he would miss Germany\u2019s Group E showdown against Ivory Coast in Toronto.<\/p>\n

Earlier Friday, Freddy revealed that severe weather had upended his travel plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur connecting flight from Dallas to Canada has been canceled due to weather,\u201d Freddy wrote. \u201cThey rebooked us on a flight tomorrow evening. We\u2019re gonna miss the Germany match\"\ud83d\udc94\".\u201d<\/p>\n

The post set off a frenzy among his more than half-million followers, who immediately began crowdsourcing alternate routes, flight options and even road-trip plans to get him across the border in time for kickoff.<\/p>\n

Among those offering assistance was private aviation company Airshare.<\/p>\n

\u201cMissing the Germany match is not an option. We\u2019ll get you to Canada!\u201d the company posted on X.<\/p>\n

John Owen, Airshare\u2019s chief executive, doubled down on the offer.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo it @FreddyLA7! We will get you there,\u201d Owen wrote.<\/p>\n

Minutes later, Owen said the company was prepared to move immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe told @FreddyLA7 we have the jet ready and have him covered! Just need him to reach out.\u201d<\/p>\n

Owen then told Freddy to stay in Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll take you direct to Toronto on the jet in the morning,\u201d the CEO pledged. Owen even posted a comment on X in response to The Post\u2019s report on the saga.<\/p>\n

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\u201cJust trying to get a guy to a game!\u201d the CEO wrote.<\/p>\n

The offer wasn\u2019t cheap. Based on Airshare\u2019s publicly posted charter rates, a private flight from Oklahoma City to Toronto would likely cost tens of thousands of dollars.<\/p>\n

The company advertises rates starting at roughly $6,000 an hour for a light jet and $8,000 an hour for a super-midsize aircraft.<\/p>\n

With Oklahoma City and Toronto separated by roughly three hours of flying time, the base cost alone could easily run from about $18,000 to $24,000 before taxes, airport fees, international handling charges and other expenses.<\/p>\n

Industry estimates suggest the final bill for a trip like Freddy\u2019s could land somewhere north of $20,000 and potentially closer to $30,000.<\/p>\n

Whether Freddy ever seriously considered the offer was unclear. <\/p>\n

By late Friday, he secured commercial travel after crediting American Airlines and Watt for helping get him back on track.<\/p>\n

\u201cFreddy is an international treasure. Weather may have tried to stand in the way, but the match \u2014 and Freddy \u2014 must go on,\u201d American said in a statement. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re glad we were able to get Freddy on his way this evening, and we thank our team members across our operation for caring for him on his way to the pitch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Watt has become one of Freddy\u2019s most prominent supporters during the German fan\u2019s viral American road trip.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The former Houston Texans star previously helped arrange accommodations and gifts for Freddy during his stop in Texas, and Freddy credited him again Friday for helping coordinate travel plans as weather delays threatened to keep him from Germany\u2019s match.<\/p>\n

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A private-jet company has offered to rescue viral German soccer fan Freddy after weather chaos left him stranded in Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2490,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-us-news"],"yoast_head":"\nJJ Watt, American Airlines help rescue viral stranded German tourist Freddy in time for World Cup game - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=2491\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"JJ Watt, American Airlines help rescue viral stranded German tourist Freddy in time for World Cup game - 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