Small airports have begun to take a closer look at their
security measures after a bizarre incident in which a
Minnetonka man was arrested at Crystal Airport. The man was
dressed as John Belushi’s character from “The Blues
Brothers” according to the Star Tribune.
The alarm stems from Crystal being one of six reliever airports owned by the Metropolitan Airports Commission. They are much less protected than Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP). The smaller planes that use Crystal and the other reliever airports account for nearly two-thirds of all metro-area flights. The fear is that corporate jets could be flown into buildings if there is not enough proper security.
The commission has been gradually adding fences, gates and surveillance equipment at the reliever airports. On the year, the commission has budgeted $140,000 for fencing at Lake Elmo and $325,000 for fencing and gates at Flying Cloud.
