When the president flies into/out of a major airport, the air traffic around that airport, as well as nearby airports, is delayed or held. When Air Force One is on the ground, temporary flight restrictions can effectively shut nearby airports down to the general aviation community. Preventing aircraft from landing for extended periods can lead to diversions to other airports, costing airlines considerable amounts of money and angering potentially thousands of passengers. This is a major burden to the economy, environment and the public, as well as bad politics as the inconvenienced passengers are also voters. Flying into a nearby military base, instead of a major airport, may help alleviate these unnecessary hardships and make the president's visits more pleasant for the host city.



