RDM security – and lines – ramp up after Brussels Airport terror attack

Airport security is ramping up nationwide following the attack at the Brussels Airport. Travelers heading through Redmond Airport will have longer check-in times than expected.

Redmond Airport Security Manager Nicole Jurgensen said Tuesday that at this point in time, there’s not a new security procedure she can let the public know about.

But she added that they take the attack very seriously, and with spring break, travelers can expect longer check-ins before they get to their gates.

“We live in such a wonderful area, security is not always on everyone’s mind. But at the airport, it’s always our top priority,” Jurgensen said.

Waiting for her family’s flight to Arizona, Amy Brown and her children said they watched the grim overseas news Tuesday morning. Her children asked if they were
still planning on going flying, with everything going on — and she said she reassured them, absolutely.

“It’s happening all over,” Brown said. “To live in fear is letting the terrorist win. That’s what we teach our children. You need to have faith in the system, but you can’t live in fear. You have to live your life.”

Though RDM is on the small side, compared to other airports, it runs like any other.

“We have a lot of the same rules as airports like Sea-Tac or Portland would have,” Jurgensen said. “Even though we’re not the same size, we have the same security
requirements, in a lot of aspects.”

Jurgensen advised air travelers to get to RDM two hours prior to departure, as checking in and going through security may take longer than expected.