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Tag: San Francisco International Airport

  • Waymo launches robotaxi service to San Francisco International Airport

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    Waymo announced Thursday that its robotaxi service is now available to and from San Francisco International Airport, ahead of upcoming major events in the Bay Area including the Super Bowl and World Cup.

    The autonomous vehicle company said in a blog post access to SFO is being offered to “a select number of riders”, which will expand gradually over the coming months.

    “Serving rides to and from San Francisco International Airport delivers one of the most requested features for our riders and further deepens our relationship with the city,” said Tekedra Mawakana, the company’s co-CEO. “With millions traveling in for major events this year, we look forward to meeting the growing demand for reliable, fully autonomous rides.”

    Initially, Waymo will conduct pickups and drop-offs at the Rental Car Center, which connects to the terminals via AirTrain. The company said there are plans in the future to serve additional airport locations, including the terminals.

    “As the global gateway to a region of innovation, this new option demonstrates our continued commitment to providing an extraordinary travel experience with transportation options that are safe, sustainable, and reliable,” said airport director Mike Nakornkhet.

    While many riders are excited, some others are concerned that the autonomous cars are just not ready for busy airports.

    Mark Gruberg has been driving taxis for roughly 40 years. He said that if Waymos are eventually allowed to go directly to the terminal, he sees major problems in the future.

    “Any one car can paralyze the airport entrances and exits if it’s in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Gruberg said. “These vehicles have not shown, in my mind, they have not yet shown they’re capable of handling places as busy as crazy and as sensitive as an airport.”

    Gruberg also worries about Waymos operating at higher speeds on the highway. And with the airport, he said that without a driver behind the wheel, he wonders what would happen if there were ever a cyber-attack or a terrorism threat.

    “It’s a tremendous difference having a driver in the car because the driver can smell out some problem that’s in the making and very possibly stop it from happening,” he said.

    While there are already many transportation options to get to the airport, San Francisco resident Carl Penny feels SFO could use another addition.

    “San Francisco is a pretty busy place,” Penny said. “Especially the airport. I’ve seen thousands of people come and go throughout the day. It’s definitely needed.”

    The launch of SFO service comes less than three months after robotaxi service was expanded to San Jose Mineta International Airport. Waymo also offers robotaxi service to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.

    In the Bay Area, Waymo offers rides to most of San Francisco, parts of the Peninsula and in some South Bay communities, including Mountain View, Sunnyvale and parts of San Jose.

    In:

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    Tim Fang

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  • San Francisco International sees smooth start to Thanksgiving travel surge

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    AAA is projecting that nearly 82 million people will travel at least 50 miles from their homes for the Thanksgiving holiday. About 6 million of those people are expected to take a domestic flight.

    It’s supposed to be a 2% increase in air travel compared to 2024. This prediction comes despite weeks of delays and canceled flights because of the government shutdown. 

    On Sunday night, the scene at San Francisco International Airport was a relief for travelers.

    “Completely boring,” said Stewart Alsop, affectionately describing his travel experience.

    Although he did admit there was one hiccup.

    “Well, we had a little bit of a thing at the airport; they couldn’t get the baggage door open on the airplane,” Alsop explained. “But we only left 30 minutes late.”

    Alsop lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but is celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday in San Francisco.

    “Part of my family is here,” said Alsop. “The family down there wasn’t sticking around. We used to live here. I lived here for 35 years.”

    His grandson’s birthday is also earlier in the week, and they have a lot to celebrate.

    “My grandson had the winning touchdown in a football game, so going to treat him like a star,” Alsop detailed. 

    Vivian Kwok anticipated a busy travel week, which is why she was coming home to Redwood City on Sunday.

    “It’s usually more crazy during the holiday season,” said Kwok when asked why she traveled the week before Thanksgiving. “We wanted it to be more relaxed.”

    Kwok visited family in Vancouver, and even though they don’t celebrate Thanksgiving in November, some of the activities were similar.

    “We definitely did a lot of souvenir shopping and we definitely ate a whole lot of food, so it felt like Thanksgiving,” Kwok said.

    Jexy Nepangue was getting back from a work trip, just in time for the holiday. She was grateful to touch down at SFO without any flight issues.

    “I was like, I’m so glad I’m back in the Bay Area,” said Nepangue. “There’s nothing like the Bay.”

    Alsop is a seasoned traveler. He’s already visited the Bay Area several times this year, and those would be considered small trips.

    In the last few weeks, he flew out to the United Arab Emirates.

    “I just came back from Abu Dhabi, and all my flights were on time in both directions and that was three flights both ways,” Alsop explained. 

    AAA recommends traveling earlier in the day to avoid congestion. 

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    Amanda Hari

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  • Bay Area woman indicted for allegedly assaulting Air India flight crew, SFO personnel

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    A woman from Contra Costa County has been indicted on federal charges after she allegedly attacked members of a flight crew, a federal agent and a San Francisco International Airport employee on a trip from India to the Bay Area, prosecutors said.

    According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of California, 40-year-old Reshma Kamath of Bethel Island is accused of two counts of interfering with a flight crew, one count of assaulting, resisting or impeding a federal officer, and one count of interfering with security screening personnel. Kamath made her initial court appearance on Thursday.

    Prosecutors said the charges stemmed from an incident in which Kamath was a passenger on board Air India Flight 173 from Delhi, India to San Francisco on June 28 and 29 of this year. During the nonstop 15-hour flight, Kamath allegedly assaulted and intimidated two members of the crew by verbally abusing, threatening and striking them.

    Once the flight arrived in San Francisco, she allegedly attacked an airport employee with security duties. Prosecutors said Kamath also struck a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer and resisted arrest.

    If convicted, Kamath faces a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of interfering with a flight crew, eight years in prison and a $250,000 fine for assaulting, resisting or impeding a federal officer and 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for interfering with security screening personnel.

    Prosecutors said Kamath’s next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 7, 2026.

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    Tim Fang

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  • Protesters calling for Gaza ceasefire demonstrate at San Francisco airport

    Protesters calling for Gaza ceasefire demonstrate at San Francisco airport

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    Hundreds of protesters calling for a ceasefire in Gaza disrupted traffic and blocked security checkpoints at San Francisco International Airport Wednesday morning.

    Inside the international terminal, chanting protesters chained themselves together in multiple locations. Outside the terminal, some protesters blocked vehicle access with their cars while others marched in a circle and chanted.

    The airport said the international terminal was still open during the protest. Passengers were rerouted around the protest activity.

    Joshua Caldwell, an organizer, said the people involved in the protest were not part of a formal group or organization, but were a collection of Bay Area residents who did not want to see the United States’ support of Israel’s bombing campaign continue.

    “We don’t want to take action like this,” Caldwell said in a phone interview. He said the participants felt compelled to stop what he called a genocide in Gaza.

    Caldwell said the protest began at about 8 a.m. and had sustained about 300 people throughout.

    Another protester, Jennifer Trang, said those involved had tried several failed tactics before deciding the airport protest was needed.

    “We have met with elected officials, written letters, and passed city-wide resolutions,” Trang said in a statement. “We have taken to the streets. We have sounded the alarm in the media. The world has denounced the Israeli war against Palestinians in Gaza and our politicians continue to fuel and fund this genocide.”

    Trang said, “We need a permanent ceasefire and an end to the siege on Gaza now.”

    Organizers said the action included traffic disruptions, visual displays, and the blocking of security lanes inside the airport.

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    NBC Bay Area staff and Bay City News

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  • Federal probe underway after wheel falls off United jet out of SFO

    Federal probe underway after wheel falls off United jet out of SFO

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    A federal investigation is underway into a wheel falling off a United Airlines jet after takeoff Thursday at San Francisco International Airport.

    The wheel came off the Boeing 777-200 jet seconds after takeoff and landed on vehicles parked in a nearby lot, causing significant damage.

    No injuries were reported.

    A tire fell off a United Airlines plane taking off from San Francisco International Airport Thursday morning and landed in a nearby parking lot, damaging several vehicles, officials said. Gia Vang reports.

    United Flight 35, which was destined for Osaka, Japan, was diverted to Los Angeles International Airport, where it landed safely. The plane was carrying a total of 249 people – 235 customers, 10 flight attendants and four pilots, according to the airline.

    Federal investigators are now looking into what caused the wheel to fall off. It likely will be weeks before the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration can determine who is responsible for the incident.

    Watch as a tire falls off a United Airlines plane taking off from San Francisco International Airport.

    “This is where I really think they’ll be focusing on United’s maintenance procedures and look at their paperwork and see where things happened,” said Mike McCarron, NBC Bay Area’s aviation expert. “Now, if they point to a structural problem, that’s when you get Boeing involved as far as the build of the aircraft.”

    Video footage of the moment the wheel fell off shows the landing gear was retracting at the time.

    A United plane made an emergency landing after losing one of its tires during takeoff at San Francisco International Airport. Retired pilot Doug Rice joins Janelle Wang to discuss the incident.

    On the ground at an employee parking lot north of SFO, the fallen wheel wrecked two vehicles. It also took down a section of fencing.

    Records show the aircraft was delivered from Boeing to United 22 years ago.

    United says it will work with customers as well as owners of the damaged vehicles to ensure their needs are addressed.

    Aviation expert Mike McCarron joins NBC Bay Area’s Janelle Wang to discuss a United plane making an emergency landing after it lost one of its tires during takeoff at San Francisco International Airport.

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    NBC Bay Area staff

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  • United plane loses tire after takeoff from San Francisco International Airport

    United plane loses tire after takeoff from San Francisco International Airport

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    A United Airlines flight lost a tire after takeoff from San Francisco International Airport on Thursday, the airline said.

    United Flight 35 later landed safely in Los Angeles, the airline said.

    The plane, a Boeing 777-200, has six tires on each of its two main landing gear struts, according to the airline. It is designed to land with missing or damage tires.

    The plane was carrying a total of 249 people – 235 customers, 10 flight attendants and 4 pilots, according to the airline.

    This is a developing story. Details may changes as more information becomes available. Stay tuned for updates.

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    NBC Bay Area staff

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