Airplanes Pack Area Airports As Allen & Co. Converge on Sun Valley

HAILEY, Idaho ( KMVT / KSVT ) - The annual Allen and Company conference is taking place this week in Sun Valley.

With a guest list including names like Rupert Murdoch and Mark Zuckerberg, the Allen and Company conference attracts the some of the world’s biggest media moguls. And with them, come some of the world’s biggest private jets. Now how does a small airport manage an afternoon of VIP arrivals? Rick Baird, Airport Manager at Friedman Memorial Airport says they had 160 aircraft land at the airport Tuesday.

Baird says they work with air traffic control out of Salt Lake city to direct about 12 aircraft an hour. He says the airport can’t handle too many planes at one time. Some of the aircraft that land are flying luxury homes worth about $65 million dollars.

With the Friedman Memorial Airport full of private jets, due to the Allen & Company conference, the Magic Valley Regional Airport is being used as an overflow. During the conference it will accommodate about 15 to 20 jets a day throughout the week.

And, more private jets means more business to the area, with fuel sales, Car rentals and even hotels and food for the crews. The Allen & Company conference has taken place in Sun Valley for one week each July since 1983.