Amid President Donald Trump’s holiday celebrations and international diplomacy at his Mar-a-Lago estate, the skies have gotten crowded over Palm Beach County, all the way to Boca Raton Airport.
In a statement Tuesday, the airport authority announced the Federal Aviation Administration has issued temporary flight restrictions for the Palm Beach area until Sunday.
As a result, the airport “is experiencing a significant and temporary increase in aircraft activity” because of its location within an “outer 30-nautical mile ring” and near an “inner 10-nautical mile restricted area.”
“We appreciate the community’s understanding as we experience these increases in traffic due to the TFRs,” Clara Bennett, the airport authority’s executive director, said in a statement.
She said the authority “understands that these changes in flight paths can be disruptive, and we appreciate the community’s patience.”
Bennett did not immediately respond to a voicemail request for comment Tuesday.
During the latter part of this month, Mar-a-Lago has been the stage for Trump’s high-level meetings with world leaders including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The airspace above Palm Beach International Airport, which is where Air Force One lands when the president comes to town, is also under tight restrictions with overwatch duty conducted by military aircraft. Last month, the FAA established a year-round restriction zone over the estate itself. As recently as Nov. 30, fighter jets intercepted a civilian aircraft that flew through temporarily restricted airspace over Palm Beach, according to CBS News.
The Boca Raton Airport, which lies about 25 miles south of the town of Palm Beach and is adjacent to Interstate 95 and the main campus of Florida Atlantic University, offers a main asphalt runway 6,276 feet in length for general aviation interests such as business jets, small recreational aircraft and flight training.
Rerouted traffic, no training
The airport authority’s statement said traffic “is being rerouted around the restricted airspace and diverted to alternate airports,” including Boca Raton.
All flight training including “pattern work and practice approaches, are prohibited while the TFRs are in effect,” the statement added.
The FAA also has adjusted departure routes for aircraft leaving the airport “to safely navigate around the restricted 10 [nautical mile] airspace.”
“These adjustments may result in flight activity over communities that do not typically experience higher levels of aircraft traffic,” the statement added.
