I wonder how much time is spent doing nothing during the race. Between the pit stops, long flights/drives, and waiting for things to open, its gotta get pretty boring.
In the final leg of the 2005 race, it was Rob & Amber (the Survivor couple) vs. Joyce & Uchenna, the third team in the finals were far behind. They were leaving Puerto Rico, and Rob & Amber made it on a flight to Miami, Joyce & Uchenna did not, the flight closed while they raced through the airport. The plane hadn’t pulled back, but the door was closed. The gate agent radioed in to the pilots who decided that the jetway should be reattached, the flight reopened and consequently, Joyce & Uchenna were able to get on the flight. Had they not, Rob & Amber would’ve been the only team to make it to Miami at all, and would’ve won in a runaway.
There was speculation at the time that the producers somehow manipulated this arrangement, in order to maintain a sense of drama in the finale. There was also suggestion that because it was an American Airlines flight, and AA was a sponsor of the program, there was some deal made. The producers, Joyce & Uchenna and the airline all denied that it was anything other than the kindness of the pilot. Rob & Amber, however, told every outlet that would listen that it was a conspiracy against them.