UPDATE and BAD NEWS for MSP and MSP flyers: The TSA airport security checkpoint from the new IC hotel at the airport is scheduled to close on November 18 (shortly before the big surge in Thanksgiving holiday travel bey kettles and the FOTSG crowds). It's currently open from 5:30 am to 10:00 am daily. Of course, if it closes, one of the big advantages of the hotel will be lost, although the limited hours aren't good for either hotel guests of MSP frequent travelers who view this checkpoint as a trick to use when other lines are expected to be long. Note that it cannot be used by passengers with bags to check.

There's also apparently some current discussion about whether Checkpoint 10, the "skyway" entrance at the back of the parking garages attached to T1 (and a natural entry point from someone arriving at the airport by light rail) will remain open during its limited hours of 5:30 am to 1:15 pm. This one is also for those with no checked bags and is frequently used by airline crewmemebers.

Apparently the airport's CEO and Executive Director just learned of the plans to close the new IC checkpoint. He and MN US Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobachar are begging TSA to maintain staffing levels here and return airport security employees who have been deployed to the southern border. Current numbers are reported to be 658 total full time and part time employees assigned to MSP airport (T1 and T2 combined). The other side of the argument regarding the hotel's checkpoint is that on Tuesday (ONE data point and on a low travel day) only 37 passengers (what about airline crew and airport workers?) of 36,800 (round number is surely an estimate) used the hotel's direct entrance to T1.

This was reported in today's print edition of the StarTribune as well as local TV news.