Travelers flying out of one of Southern California’s fastest airports have been urged to arrive far earlier than they normally would for the next two months as the road construction gets underway.
Hollywood Burbank Airport authorities have revealed that from Monday, travelers should show up at least two hours before their flight to allow from “potential traffic delays.”
Burbank travelers normally clear Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoints in as little as five minutes at the airport and frequently report curb to terminal taking under an hour.
The airport has also avoided the worst of the long lines at other airports due to the partial government shutdown leading to fewer TSA agents turning up for work.
“Starting April 6th through June 6th, construction work will close down one lane of traffic on the southbound side of Hollywood Way near Thornton Avenue,” according to a statement.
“Passengers can instead use the Empire Avenue entrance, or enter the airport westbound on Thornton Avenue.”
The construction of the road is from Monday through to Saturday, from 9 am to 3:30 pm, for the next two months.
“The sidewalk and bike lane on the west side of Hollywood Way will also be closed between Winona Avenue and Thornton Avenue,” the message added.
The California Post reached out to the Burbank Airport for further comment.
Hollywood Burbank avoided the worst of the TSA shutdown that’s thankfully ended thanks to workers being paid again. The worst effected passengers in California were those flying from San Diego International Airport, who had to endure security check lines that stretched outside the terminal building.
On March 2, a plane and a helicopter came dangerously close to colliding near Hollywood Burbank Airport, in a scare officials say highlights growing safety risks.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the March 2 incident unfolded when a Beechcraft 99 was cleared to land as a helicopter drifted into its final approach path, putting both aircraft on a collision course.
In a split-second move that likely prevented disaster, the helicopter veered right, avoiding a midair crash.
Federal officials say the incident is part of a troubling pattern of close calls nationwide, including a similar scare in San Antonio, raising concerns the current system is under strain.
At issue is “visual separation,” a long-standing practice where pilots are responsible for spotting and avoiding other aircraft in busy airspace — something regulators now say is no longer sufficient.
In response, the FAA and U.S. Department of Transportation are rolling out new safety measures, eliminating visual separation between planes and helicopters in high-traffic areas and shifting responsibility to air traffic controllers using radar.
The changes follow a year-long review of near-misses and come after a deadly 2025 midair collision near Washington, D.C., exposed gaps in aviation safety.
Under the new rules, controllers must maintain stricter distances between aircraft, particularly where helicopter routes intersect with airport flight paths — a move that could lead to delays or rerouting for some flights.
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said the overhaul is aimed at modernizing U.S. airspace and preventing future disasters.
“Today, we are proactively mitigating risks before they affect the traveling public,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said.