The Santa Barbara Airport has not experienced travel delays related to the federal government shutdown and staffing shortages in some parts of the country, but residents are encouraged to arrive early if they intend to fly during the next week.

Spokeswoman Lauren Gonzales said Wednesday that the airport has not seen any significant impacts because of the shutdown, but Transportation Security Administration employees are working without pay.

The shutdown, which has lasted 40 days, stems from disagreements over whether to fund the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Even though TSA employees are still working, Gonzales encouraged travelers to arrive early since it is spring break. She also said the airport will alert the public if anything changes.

Gonzales added that officials have not been notified of any plans to station ICE agents at the airport. The federal government has sent ICE agents to other major airports across the country.

The Santa Barbara Airport is also collecting donations for employees from the TSA, who are not being paid because of the partial government shutdown.

Any members of the public who wish to support TSA agents can donate gift cards in accordance with the guidelines below.

Donation Guidelines

• Gift cards should be $20 or less (please label card with value)
• Preferred retailers include grocery and gas (e.g., Ralphs, Vons, Costco, Chevron, Shell)
• Cash and generic gift cards (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) cannot be accepted
• Gift cards can be dropped off at the Airport Administration Office (601 Firestone Road) between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday

Jet Bridge Waiting for Repairs

Months after a jet bridge collapsed at the Santa Barbara Airport, the tunnel is still waiting for repairs.

The jet bridge collapsed in August 2025, injuring two airport employees who were transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Gonzales confirmed that the jet bridge soon will be repaired and that the airport is just waiting for the parts to arrive.

“Unfortunately, the manufacturer has experienced delays in getting us the parts we need,” Gonzales said in an email. “I don’t have the specifics as to what the issues are on their end; but once we receive the parts, the repairs can begin.”

Gonzales said there is no timeline on when the parts will arrive or when repairs can start.

Even though the bridge is out of order, the airport was able to accommodate passengers without much delay. Passengers can board at Gate 2 using stairs on the tarmac to enter the plane, which is how the airport boards passengers at Gate 5.

The tunnel collapsed on Aug. 26 around 9:25 a.m. as crews were working on the bridge. No passengers were on the bridge at the time of the collapse.

“Following our review of the incident, we determined that the jet bridge gave way while maintenance staff was performing a component replacement as part of a repair,” said Chris Hastert, the director of SBA. “We could not identify a single precise mechanical trigger for the movement, but the event was associated with the maintenance work being performed on the bridge at the time.

“Most importantly, this did not occur during normal passenger operations, and the public was never at risk. Jet bridge maintenance of this kind is performed only when the bridge is out of service and not being used by passengers.”

Hastert said the incident allowed the airport to identify procedural changes that could prevent future collapses. He concluded by saying the incident was a “highly unusual, isolated occurrence, and we do not have any indication of broader concerns with the airport’s other jet bridges.”