SFO has become a trap for some travelers

I’ve flown out of San Francisco International Airport more this year than any other in my life, which has been personally exciting but poorly timed. I’ve had a bird’s-eye view into what was likely the worst summer in SFO’s recent history as federal agents repeatedly arrest travelers and the airport suffers from a lousy record for delays.

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The airport already grappled with seasonal fog impacting its flight schedule, but the delay count was exacerbated by a runway rehab paired with an unexpected FAA update that limited the number of landings per hour.

The San Francisco Chronicle is tracking SFO’s summer of delays and comparing them to data from last year. On the Thursday before Labor Day weekend, the analysis found that 55% of flights were delayed. In 2025, only about 15% of all flights were delayed in September. (The Chronicle and SFGATE are both owned by Hearst but have separate newsrooms.)

Data is one way to measure impact, but let me tell you firsthand what it was like to travel through SFO this summer with lurking U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and a 266% increase in delays.

Earlier this year, Southwest reinstated my beloved SFO to Hollywood Burbank Airport route, which has been a blessing of time and money, saving me from the hellscape of Los Angeles International Airport, where they seem to take pleasure in seizing my non-liquid foods. But the SFO delays I’ve encountered spoiled the joy from the route’s revival.

I knew I was in for it in June when I overheard Southwest staff at the gate in Burbank sneering after SFO told them that there would be a delay. None of us knew at that point how long that would actually be. We sat for two hours on the runway. There was a rule forbidding flight attendants to serve us water, so for 120 minutes, I tried to calm down my distressed seatmate.

Last month, a morning flight to Burbank was delayed several times and then outright canceled. I received a text that I was automatically booked on a later flight that day, which, of course, ruined all the plans I had that day. I asked the counter if they could at least waive the new $45 bag fee, and they declined. I later was issued a $10 credit, which seems pretty insulting for the inconvenience.

Nevertheless, the worst part of summer travel this year actually has nothing to do with soaring prices or minor personal inconveniences. 

Federal agents, per decree of the Trump administration, are violently arresting Bay Area residents at SFO, creating a culture of fear and anxiety. ICE agents, sometimes in plainclothes, have apprehended at least 25 people in the terminals so far this year. On a lower floor of the international terminal, an immigration detention center is holding travelers for days without the courtesy of a bed.

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Sure, delays disrupted many of our plans, but SFO is having a terrible summer because it’s become a trap for travelers. 

The airport insists that it’s not involved in any ICE decision-making. The Department of Homeland Security has regulatory authority over all domestic airports, and Customs and Border Protection/the Transportation Security Administration operate outside of an airport’s jurisdiction. 

However, that doesn’t mean SFO isn’t playing a role as the venue for these seizures and as the frontline of abductions. Advocates also claim that the Airport Commission is sharing traveler information with Homeland Security, violating sanctuary city policies.

Is there anything more that San Francisco’s proud and successful enterprise can do to protect its customers and travelers?

Brighter skies are ahead, at least in terms of seeing fewer flight delays. The FAA began relaxing the landing limits at SFO last month. By using staggered parallel arrivals, SFO is increasing to 42 landings per hour. Even better, the runway construction that has contributed significantly to this year’s delays is scheduled to be finished by Oct. 3.

Last week, I had my first positive experience of the year at SFO: A Southwest flight to Burbank landed 22 minutes early. However, I’m cautiously optimistic about the punctuality of the return flight home. And who might be creeping in SFO’s terminals.