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The Federal Aviation Administration issued its advisory this month. It says that private planes must have a waiver 72 hours in advance to arrive at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and St. Paul’s Holman Field.
Without the waiver, planes would have to fly to a nearby airport such as St. Cloud or Rochester and have their plane searched by security officials.
“We haven’t had close to anything like these restrictions” in the past, said Greg Fries, manager of Holman Field. “But we haven’t had an event like this, either.”
The FAA also put restrictions on airspace, specifically in the 10-mile radius around the Xcel Energy Center where delegates will meet Sept. 1-4.
The government advisory is firm about the consequences for violating the restrictions. “Noncompliance with the published (FAA notice) may result in the use of force,” it cautions.
It’s not clear how many of the 45,000 convention visitors, including party staff and media, will arrive by private plane. Commercial flights during the convention won’t face the same types of restrictions that private planes will.
Charity Speich, manager of Chippewa Valley Regional Airport near Eau Claire, Wis., said airports like hers aren’t sure whether to expect more planes on their runways. She said the airport tower will be ready for any increase in traffic and ground support will be prepared for fueling and other aircraft needs.
Four years ago, a regional airport just outside Boston, where Democrats gathered, had 100 additional planes parked on site.
Fries said Holman Field has overflow parking capacity if the companies that service private planes at the airport believe they’ll need it.
