January 12, 2009
Posted: 05:23 PM ET

From
Dulles airport is planning for a surge in private plane traffic.
Dulles airport is planning for a surge in private plane traffic.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Cars, limos and buses aren't the only modes of transportation that will find parking at a premium on Inauguration Day.

Dulles International Airport said Monday it will temporarily close its newest runway to provide parking for an expected surge in private planes during the big event.

The 9,400-foot runway known to pilots as 1L/19R will be closed from January 16 to 23, said Tara Hamilton, spokeswoman for the Washington Metropolitan Airports Authority. The airport is "guesstimating" that some 500 private aircraft will arrive at Dulles, and the runway will provide an overflow capacity for general aviation aircraft.

Some 300 private aircraft arrived at Dulles in 2004, the first inauguration in which traffic was limited at the closer-in Reagan National Airport, Hamilton said.

The airport opened the new $356 million runway in November. The airport has three other runways.

Filed under: Inauguration


Home of the Free   January 12th, 2009 10:10 pm ET

TCM@ to call Mr. Obama incompetent is laughable. I don't know what you smoke, but I sure want some. Your a complete Idiot.

Trish   January 12th, 2009 10:00 pm ET

Some of these people have it right. All for the "haves" the hell with the "have nots."

chris@stl   January 12th, 2009 9:57 pm ET

Larry January 12th, 2009 5:37 pm ET …………. …… “Do as I tell you, Not as I do”, what a shameful waste of taxpayer money!

-Larry
___________________________

It is the other way round, Larry …. there will be more tax dollars coming in to the coffers than tax dollars spent. All those people attending the event will spend a lot of money buying memorabilias, dining, drinking, on hotels, etc. Also, a lot of people, including myself, contributed for this inaugural event. So, very little tax dollars will be spent on actual event. So, don't worry Larry, sleep tight!

Mark, B'ham., Al.   January 12th, 2009 9:55 pm ET

If the democrats were so green they would make their Hollywood and corporate/uniln friends charter flights on comercial size planes from the major cities. That would help reduce global warning, even if it is not as luxurious and elitist for them. This shows the liberal elite are no different from the evil conservatives when it comes to their own selfish indulgence.

bsmith171   January 12th, 2009 9:40 pm ET

more private jets from obama supporters.

Liberal Elite   January 12th, 2009 9:31 pm ET

Oh don't mind us, we'll just continue to fly our private jets, I mean, how else would you expect us to get around? But you commoners, yes, you need to make drastic changes to help the environment or else our planet will evolve into an oven.

George   January 12th, 2009 9:25 pm ET

TCM

You call PE Obama incompetent?
I shudder to think what type gray matter, if any, resides between your two ears. Get over your loss Knucklehead.

George

Jeff From Jersey   January 12th, 2009 9:18 pm ET

Sarcasim is wasted on the wasted.

BB   January 12th, 2009 9:11 pm ET

Most of you bloggers are idiots. Go to school. Educate yourselves.

Stop the hating. We hang together or we hang separately.

At least give it a chance. There's plenty of time for bashing. And if I remember correctly, a LOT of money was spent on both of Bush's inaugurations.

Let it be.

TCM's hatemongering aside, TCM go wash your pillow case and sheets   January 12th, 2009 8:30 pm ET

I'm a democrat and I wish they would skip this whole thing and just get to work

Dan, TX   January 12th, 2009 8:29 pm ET

It is all the rich people. The business people – the very successful. All those democrats that run big business and employ all you little people. Oh that's right, we admire them for their entreprenurial talent.

Otto   January 12th, 2009 8:23 pm ET

Come on folks; most of those planes will not be from the USA. Just imagime how many heads of state will be in attendance?

Every free nation on Earth will be sending someone and do you expect them to walk on water? Dear Lord!!!

sandee in Portland   January 12th, 2009 8:13 pm ET

For those republicans on this post that are unable to say anything positive, take note the article says 300 private planes came in for dumb Bush's inauguration in 2004, so I guess it makes sense that a much more popular president elect would have a few more private planes flying in.

Larry   January 12th, 2009 8:10 pm ET

Wasn't it the Democrats that thought it was TERRIBLE that the auto maker presidents flew to DC last month—Oh,this is different—-,the Democrats really don't care about Global Warming when it effects them and their comfort—–hippocrates—-Where's the CHANGE ??

Count how many billions of dollars of tax payers money they will blow on GLOBAL WARMING in the next four years.

Home of the Free   January 12th, 2009 8:08 pm ET

TCM – No, No Idiot this is not for Bush leaving town. It's for people and flights coming into D.C. from around the world.

Andy Cornell   January 12th, 2009 8:01 pm ET

What a friggin joke! I wonder if all-green ALGORE will land his jet on that tarmac!

Noemi in Los Angeles   January 12th, 2009 7:59 pm ET

If I had a private plane, I'd be there too.

Ernie in LA   January 12th, 2009 7:55 pm ET

Everyone should drive a hybrid to DC. It will be too easy for a terrorist to get past security with all of the chaos. We are asking for trouble.

Ben   January 12th, 2009 7:37 pm ET

People who can not get over themselves are in trouble…….

Ask Mr. Independent lou Dobbs!!

kayla   January 12th, 2009 7:18 pm ET

OBAMA IS GETTING MONEY FROM HIS SUPPORTERS, WHO LOVE HIM. THAT IS WHY HE HAVING A BIG CELEBRATION. AS HE SO DESERVES. EAT YOUR HEART OUT ALL YOU BITTER AND ANGRY LOOSERS.

observer   January 12th, 2009 7:16 pm ET

Seems to me that for such a green endeavor as the dummycrats taking over, planes would be out and walking to witness the coming would be in order !

Ray from Gainesville VA   January 12th, 2009 7:12 pm ET

Government of the People, By the People and For the People..it'll be good to get back to this. We support you President Elect Obama.

raul   January 12th, 2009 7:03 pm ET

Where are the eft wing tree – hugging whack jobs ??? …Oh yes they will all be here in theire private jets…what a joke

Randy - Denver   January 12th, 2009 6:47 pm ET

Larry what you fail to realize is that this "Money Circus and media Circus" is being paid for NOT by our tax dollars but by private individuals and companies. In other word they are SPENDING MONEY this will help the economy rebound from the current state 9minutely I agree but it is spending and spending requires someone making and someone selling and… you get the idea). As for the closure of one RECENTLY OPENED runway the impact will be minor, the runway opened less than a year ago and trafdfic is not so heavy that it will be required. Dulles is also RENTING parking space. In other words they are making money (again someone spending, someone earning). Yes there will be some inconvienance but the same can be said of ANYWHERE in the DC area during this time. Americans are flocking to be there, they WANT to be there to support Mr. Obama.

soulstar   January 12th, 2009 6:47 pm ET

Didn’t the CEO’s of the Big 3 automakers just get drilled (pun semi-intended) for flying to DC on private jets? Wonder if our elected officials will have an issue with it this time around?
________________________________

um…what??? are these 500 or so planes there to aske for public funds bailout? no? well i guess then they can do whatever the hell they want. what are you getting at????

Bill   January 12th, 2009 6:36 pm ET

Where is all the bashing for the pollution these planes generate? Will the Sierra Club be there to protest? You liberals are complete idiots.

Jeff From Jersey   January 12th, 2009 6:29 pm ET

Relax.Those all used to be the private jets of the auto exec's!The government got them for a paltry little bailout package.Obama is taking the train.The jets are to get the Bush Administration out of town.The sooner the better.I hear they're doing a "fly-over" in New Orleans so they can see where this hurricane Katrina supposedly made land-fall.But that's just a rumor.

James, Saint Louis MO   January 12th, 2009 6:29 pm ET

Make room for Oprah and Gayle!

Detroit Must Be Mad   January 12th, 2009 6:27 pm ET

Didn't the CEO's of the Big 3 automakers just get drilled (pun semi-intended) for flying to DC on private jets? Wonder if our elected officials will have an issue with it this time around?

Rob   January 12th, 2009 6:19 pm ET

What about the carbon footprint these aircraft will leave ? Oh. that's right rich elitist liberals don't take the bus !

dejavu65   January 12th, 2009 6:17 pm ET

Boys and Girls, sounds as if we have a lot of bitter people, El Presidente Obam, get used to it K, Trust me it will be alright, group hug anyone?

legal in nc   January 12th, 2009 6:17 pm ET

They have to have room to park all the planes coming in from the Middle East.

What a disgrace to all those that have lost their jobs to have this kind of flaunting of excess rubbed in their faces!!

Shame on them!

Farrell, Houston, Tx   January 12th, 2009 6:12 pm ET

I'M GOING TO THE IGNAUGURATION AND I'M HEARING FITS OF JEALOUSLY FROM MY OWN FRIENDS, BUT THAT'S NOT STOPPING ME AND I PERSONALLY DON'T CARE WHETHER THEY GET OVER IT OR NOT. I CHOSE TO BE A HAPPY PERSON, NOT ANGRY.

Juan Grain   January 12th, 2009 6:12 pm ET

Why don't we just shut down the USA for the day!

Mike in Ca   January 12th, 2009 6:05 pm ET

A gathering of all right wing hatemongers on this blog…wow!

NJVote08   January 12th, 2009 6:02 pm ET

TCM January 12th, 2009 5:28 pm ET

Why should they bog down this country for this incompetent?
_____________________________________________________
I told you before to behave yourself. Stop the name calling… it only makes you look bad.

Griff   January 12th, 2009 5:57 pm ET

Who Care's…. America must have more, and Better Protection to their Country, from the Like of Obama, and his Garbage…
Why America? You can not Protect this Man…. He Lied…. So you had to Elect the Devil…. But then you have a God?????

Concerned Democrat.   January 12th, 2009 5:57 pm ET

So basically the average person is ONCE AGAIN going to be inconvenienced in order to cater to the RICH and ELITE!

boered1   January 12th, 2009 5:53 pm ET

Americans are turning out in DROVES to see the new President inaugurated… The support for him seems to resonate and flow all across America. yes the radical religious right and the loonely left will still continue to whine and pule but AMERICA stands behind our new President!

RIGHT NOW PRESIDENT (ELECYT) OBAMA HAS MORE PEOPLE SUPPORTING HIM AND BUSH HAS DEPLORING HIM THAT IS HARD~!

CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN IS COMING AND IT IS ABOUT TIME!!!

Salt & Pepper   January 12th, 2009 5:52 pm ET

WOW! This thing is going to be big! Wish I could attend, but, my bosses are re'lic lickers…

Larry   January 12th, 2009 5:47 pm ET

This is just more media hype—-They will not need more parking then any other inauguration—-The media has blown everything out of proportion—-Obama only won the election by 5% of the votes—who is the media think they are kidding?

ohio for obama   January 12th, 2009 5:46 pm ET

Griff and TCM are really some obama haters. don't be mad cuz yall live like crap and have nothing going on but hate.

Millie Gee   January 12th, 2009 5:44 pm ET

Crazy, TCM, Griff — bitter are we? Republicans lost, I repeat lost, lost, lost, lost.

BUSH BEGONE AND NOW 75% OF AMERICA AGREES, FINALLY!   January 12th, 2009 5:43 pm ET

Stop being angry that so many folks like Obama.

Just sit and wait for the next 8 years to be over, like we had to do for the shrub.

Janet in Reno   January 12th, 2009 5:42 pm ET

History is being made, people. Get on board.

Matthew, Houston, TX   January 12th, 2009 5:38 pm ET

No, really, shut up, TCM.

Larry   January 12th, 2009 5:37 pm ET

I find this hard to digest- Everyone is talking about how “We have to make financial changes, tighten our belts, watch what we’re doing”, yet when it comes to the Inauguration of Barak Obama, the inauguration is turning into a “Money Circus and Media Circus”.

Can you imagine, all our Politicians, are telling us of how tough things are and how bad they are probably going to get, yet the same people who cry “Wolf” are willing to spend Large undisclosed amounts of money on a stupid inauguration winding, that’s going to probably 100 fold (times) cap the cost of a New Years in New York, London and a few other places combined.

Don’t you think it would benefit all of us here in the United States to have a “Humble Inauguration” rather than a Hugh Hefner type wild fling?

“Do as I tell you, Not as I do”, what a shameful waste of taxpayer money!

-Larry

America Held Hostage T-8 Days   January 12th, 2009 5:33 pm ET

500 private airplanes? America does have royalty and it supports the liberals.

Crazy   January 12th, 2009 5:29 pm ET

This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. As a frequent business traveler, I understand the impact this will have on arrival/departure delays for the everyday person. Another case of the "haves" getting things there way, yet again. Is this change we can believe in?

TCM   January 12th, 2009 5:28 pm ET

Why should they bog down this country for this incompetent?

That Other Jerry   January 12th, 2009 5:27 pm ET

So what are all these people going to tell their grandkids? "Yeah, I was there when it happened! …two counties over, but I was there!" There are some things that are just better off experienced vicariously.

Griff   January 12th, 2009 5:27 pm ET

In Organic's???? Where does Obama Fit????

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