SEATTLE — Anyone with plans to fly through the state's largest airport this weekend should prepare for potential delays.
President Joe Biden will be flying in and out of SEA Airport to visit the Seattle area, a spokesperson confirmed to KING 5.
The president will be traveling from the San Francisco Bay Area, where he is attending campaign events on Thursday and Friday.
Biden is expected to touch down at SEA at 5:50 p.m. on Friday. A temporary flight restriction is in effect within a 30-mile radius around SEA airport from 5:15 p.m. Friday until 2:45 p.m. Saturday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. This mainly applies to private flights and will not impact commercial operations.
A SEA Airport spokesperson said it is expecting the standard hold for Air Force One. All traffic will be stopped on runways until the aircraft arrives and is parked, the spokesperson said.
Security protocols require SEA Airport to stop all air traffic at least 30 minutes before the arrival of the president's plane, Alaska Airlines confirmed in a statement to KING 5. Alaska said to expect delays when Air Force One departs on Saturday.
A presidential visit or any high-level executive branch mandates a significant amount of security, with local police officers partnering with state and national agencies to protect the traveling party.
In recent visits by Vice President Kamala Harris and First Lady Jill Biden, the two flew in and out of King County International Airport. However, Biden flew through SEA Aiport during his last visit to the Seattle area in 2022.