Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ grand plan to helicopter to New Jersey for a $75,000 club appearance was grounded by the FAA — so he got a police escort to get him there after his Manhattan concert on Friday night.

Diddy was due to copter to Club 4 Sixty 6 in West Orange after his Hammerstein Ballroom show, but the FAA didn’t clear the use of the club’s helipad in time. So he demanded a police escort to get him through traffic. His motorcade was escorted by three NYPD squad cars and joined by New Jersey cops at the venue, sources confirmed.

One told us, “Diddy heard his helicopter had not been cleared for landing, and said he wouldn’t go to Jersey if he couldn’t get there on time. His team spoke to the police, and he was driven — like a head of state — in his Bentley with three SUVs in a convoy, with two police cars in front, lights flashing, and another behind.”

John Mahdessian, owner of high-end couture dry-cleaning service Madame Paulette, who helped Diddy with clothes for the show, told us, “This happened last-minute. I organized the police escort through my contacts. There were three squad cars with the lights flashing. I went along also. We were at the club in New Jersey within 15 minutes.”

Lauren Berger Collection CEO Jeffrey Beri, who organized Diddy’s hotel stay and helped arrange the escort, added, “Diddy was stuck. The only way he could get there was by police escort.” Police escorts are not usually offered to private citizens, and the NYPD didn’t get back to us last night.

Once there, Diddy did a 30-minute set at the Vegas Style Entertainment party for fans, including A.J. Calloway, who racked up a $12,000 bill. He then partied until 1:45 a.m.

Earlier that night, Diddy disappointed Knicks at the Garden by not showing up to do the “lights-out countdown” before the players were introduced. A source said, “He came to the rehearsal but didn’t show up for the game and gave no word he couldn’t make it. His singers had to sing the anthem without him. Garden bosses were fuming.” But a Garden rep insisted, “He . . . continues to be welcome at MSG and all our venues.”

Diddy’s rep declined to comment.