If the Lakers & Spurs battle it out to a decisive Game 7 in their Western Conference Finals, their travel plans could be up in the air. Actually, they won’t be - since their charter airline will be out of business by then.

Darren Rovell of CNBC taxis in news that Champion Air - the plane company that flies both the Lakers & Spurs and 12 other NBA teams - will be grounded for good on May 31. That’s the same day Game 6 is scheduled (if necessary).

Champion was supposed to provide air service until at least the end of the NBA season, but will call it quits at the end of the month, due to “economic slowdown, the tight credit markets and $130-a-barrel oil.”

Good thing Champion isn’t used by the Celtics, who have a penchant for going seven games. In the meantime, the league says it’s reviewing other travel options for Kobe Bryant’s & Tim Duncan’s crews.

With the airline closing down, at least the Spurs got to spend one last memorable night on a Champion flight.

ESPN’s TRUE HOOP reports that the team was scheduled to make a late-night flight from New Orleans to Los Angeles after immediately closing out the Hornets. However, mechanical problems caused the flight to be delayed until Tuesday morning.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t go back to their hotel, as it was overbooked for a convention in town. So the Spurs had to sleep on the plane.

How tiresome.