Boise Airport Commission hears update on federal shutdown impacts, Concourse A and airfield work

Boise — Airport Director Rebecca Hottel told the Boise Airport Commission on Oct. 1 that a federal government shutdown is affecting the airport’s on-site federal workforce and could affect operations if it continues.

“We are in the midst of a federal shutdown. ... Employees are required to come to work,” Hottel said, adding that TSA, the Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees at the airport are working but not being paid while the shutdown continues.

Hottel said the airport is monitoring the situation and will coordinate support if needed, noting that past shutdowns that extended beyond pay periods caused more operational strain. “When employees start to miss paychecks ... it becomes harder for them to come to work,” she said.

The director also updated the commission on several airfield and capital projects. She said runway 10L/28R was closed in September as part of construction tied to Concourse A and that routine taxiway and runway seal coating is scheduled this month. Hottel said both runways will not be taken out of service simultaneously for scheduled maintenance, though unplanned incidents can briefly close a second runway — she cited a recent flat tire on a general aviation aircraft and a reported drone that prompted a temporary closure earlier the same morning.

Hottel described progress on the Concourse A program and related airfield work: the consolidated rental car facility is about 75% complete, and Apron A paving for the new concourse is finished with painting, lighting and seal coating expected to be complete in mid-October. She said the airport has issued a notice to proceed to Hensel Phelps for preconstruction services on Concourse A and expects to have schematic design and 50% drawings in the coming month or two.

On terminal concessions, Hottel listed new and incoming tenants — including a Pizza Hut, Blue Sky Bagel, a Capital City Public Market store and upcoming Starbucks and Wendy’s locations — and said terrazzo floors and metal siding work are underway in the rental car facility.

Hottel summarized longer-term planning efforts, saying the airport’s master plan work is under way with a survey of existing conditions and a review of forecasts against the FAA Terminal Area Forecast. She also congratulated three airport duty managers who received airport security coordinator certification and said the airport hosted events including Girls in Aviation, reporting more than 200 attendees.

On finances and operations, Hottel said passenger traffic grew about 3% in August and 6% year to date, and reiterated routine reasons for recent budget variances: adjusted TNC rates, timing of employee parking revenue, higher professional services tied to capital programs, plumbing and HVAC repairs and the absence this year of a $200,000 power incentive received last year.

Commissioners asked for more precise dates on taxiway and runway reopenings; Hottel said dates are weather-dependent and that she would provide schedule details to the commission when available. Commissioner Vasquez raised a concern about parking-count accuracy; Hottel said the license-plate-recognition vehicle is out of service and staff perform nightly manual counts in the interim.

No formal actions or policy decisions resulted from the report; commission business continued to staff reports and public comment.