Email threat causes temporary shutdown at Colorado’s Aspen/Pitkin County Airport

Authorities in Colorado temporarily evacuated and shut down the Aspen/Pitkin County Airport Tuesday afternoon after someone emailed a threat to staff members.

A Federal Aviation Administration announcement Tuesday afternoon said law enforcement was responding to an incident at the airport, but it did not say what the incident was. The Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office says that the incident began around 2 p.m. and, as a precaution, the airport was evacuated around 2:30 p.m.

The FAA warned the public not to travel to the airport and asked that they avoid the surrounding area. They also asked travelers to check with their air carriers for flight information.

“Safety is our number one priority, and throughout this incident our focus was on allowing law enforcement and emergency personnel the space they needed to safely respond,” said Incident Commander Pitkin County Sheriff Justin Thompson. “We appreciate the patience and cooperation of travelers and our community while the response was underway.”

Highway 82 remained open during the airport closure.

At 4:03 p.m., the airport announced that the terminal reopened and is fully operational. They added that law enforcement cleared the area and officials lifted requests to avoid the area.

The airport also thanked the public for their patience and repeated its request that travelers check directly with their airlines for information on delays and schedule changes.

Around 4:49, the county provided an update explaining the closure: several airport staff members received an email threat against the property.

“Today’s response demonstrates the strong coordination among our local law enforcement agencies, first responders and airport partners,” said Pitkin County Sheriff Michael Buglione. “Our teams train and prepare to work together during situations like this, and that coordination allows us to respond effectively while keeping the safety of our community, airport personnel and the traveling public at the forefront.”