mra39

Tonight at MSP they froze all taxi activity at 8:15ish because of VIP activity. Idea any what was going on? Can't seem to find anything in the news.

hooverer

Biden is in town tomorrow, did he arrive early?

jrkmsp

Yeah, he was due in tonight between 8:30 and 9.

kettle1

That is great. Disrupt travel for thousands.

GRALISTAIR

Reminds me of the time my wife was trapped at MSP awaiting a flight back to MCI. The pilot said "I am sorry folks, it is George Bush's fault". So he had arrived in on AF1 very shortly after I-35 collapsed - so what the pilot said was actually true - but of course it delayed everyone. I am sure there must be better ways for handling POTOS/FLOTUS/VP etc security.

kop84

I'm willing to be they have to land at most major commercial airports as the smaller private fields (like the small St. Paul Airport) may not have enough runway to accommodate AF1 and AF2

While the runways may technically be long enough for a non fully loaded 747, my guess is those planes have a significant amount of extra weight as a commercial 747 does not have the capabilities to operate as a command and control center for a thermonuclear war across 3 continents.

GRALISTAIR

I thought the cargo hold held the automobile which must be armor plated - so I agree there must be significant extra weight.

Carpboy823

I'm not sure that there is, other than having them take planes/aircraft other than AF1/AF2. I'm guessing there aren't too many airports (at least in MSP) that can handle 747s with runway length, and itineraries are private for security reasons, so the airlines won't know the pres/VP is landing until shortly before they are due for arrival. Yeah, it sucks, but the couple of times I have been delayed it hasn't been for too long (~30 min).

hooverer

FYI/FWIW Biden in the past when he flies into MSP and elsewhere is on a C32 (VC32) aka B757-200 and not a VC25 (B747) that POTUS uses. Vehicles etc usually on a C17, sometimes they park the C17 overnight by 494 hangars.

Often1

The "disruption" in DC airspace, which is for obvious reasons frequent for both, is most often <10 minutes and is often not even noticeable as ATC has simply slowed traffic. Ground traffic isn't affected because neither are using DCA/IAD/BWI.

I know that people go nutso about this and motorcades and the like outside of DC, but it really doesn't make too much sense to publish exact times & routes in advance and the disruption is more in peoples' minds. Esp. the ground holds at commercial airports.

MikeNYC1

If you're curious about impacted areas and timing around MSP, check the FAA's TFR (Temporary Flight Restriction) listing: http://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_6_4139.html.

Sabai

The Vice President shouldn't travel?

MSPeconomist

I've been caught in airport stops when Obama came through. They also tend to close down expressways, so one has to also watch for that. It's annoying to try to guess the routes and times that streets will be closed.

Today the Amtrak station and transit hub in St Paul is supposedly closed from 8 am to 4 pm because Biden is speaking there about how great the administration's stimulus fund program was.

Tha Dalai Lama is also here this weekend, up from the Mayo Center where's he's been getting medical treatment. He's speaking at Minneapolis Convention Center Sunday morning, so I would advise people to avoid that area of downtown from early Sunday morning to about mid-afternoon.

I can't wait for the mess the SuperBowl will create.

At least the good news seems to be that with MN primary day being shared with a bunch of other states, most candidates are too busy to spend much time here, but I'm sure it will get worse as the actual Presidential election approaches.

WhiskeyBravo

The Beast and Marine 1 are transported, but on separate AC

kop84

I fully plan on renting my house out on Airbnb while sitting in the Florida Sun instead of being in MSP during the Superbowl...I'd say I'd make an exception if the Vikings are in it, but then I remember I'm a Vikings fan