Airport travel smooth as Burners arrive for Black Rock City

Posted by author August 25, 2024 Travel

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RENO, Nev. (KOLO) -Travel is smooth Sunday morning as the Reno-Tahoe International Airport expects its busiest travel day since 2005.

The airport is bracing for about 20,000 passengers Sunday.

Burning Man travelers hit a snag Saturday when rain on the playa closed the gates to Black Rock City. The airport had a long time of Burners waiting to board the Burner Express shuttle bus.

There are no lines Sunday morning.

“No, the weather is much better today and the gates are open so the Burning Man buses are much closer to the normal schedule,” said airport Public Affairs Manager Nicolle Staten.

“Yesterday was busy but we can expect thousands of more passengers today,” Staten added.

Burner Express pick up and drop off is just north of the main terminal.

Most flights were on time or close to on time with only a few with delays of an hour or more.

Burning Man reported the time from turning off the highway to reaching the gate to Black Rock City was about an hour as of 9 a.m. on Sunday.

After Sunday, the busiest travel days are expected to be Monday and Sept. 2.

The Air Playa Information Desk is in the main terminal lobby near the Ski Statue.

The airport gave these recommendations for travelers:

Arrive Early: Passengers are strongly encouraged to arrive at least two hours before their flight to account for increased crowds, longer security lines and ongoing construction activities, including road construction on the airport’s Loop Road.
Avoid Curbside Waiting: Avoid waiting curbside and use the Free Waiting Lot to pick up passengers conveniently.
Oversized Vehicles: Be aware that oversized vehicles will not be able to park on airport property and some height clearance restrictions are present along the Loop Road. Restrictions for some areas are as low as 13 feet.
Explore Art: While at the airport, passengers can get into the Burner spirit by visiting the newest exhibit, “Beyond Blackrock: A Global Burning Man Showcase,” in the depARTures Gallery, which spotlights five Burning Man events from around the world.