Annually round this time, greater than 80,000 folks from all corners of the world make their technique to Nevada’s Black Rock Desert to briefly populate Black Rock Metropolis. There, they enthusiastically take part within the eccentric, artwork, music and offbeat desert tenting occasion that’s Burning Man.
This yr’s Burning Man occasion formally runs from Aug. 27 to Sept. 4.
Which means that proper about now, about 20,000 occasion attendees, often known as “burners,” are making their technique to and thru Reno-Tahoe Worldwide Airport (RNO), the closest business airport to the occasion website. From RNO, the burners will make the 135-mile trek to the distant desert occasion website often known as the Black Rock Metropolis playa by bus, automobile, rideshare or constitution aircraft.
Because it has up to now, the RNO airport staff is able to welcome the onslaught of burners with artwork, lovable canines, info and instructions on the right way to get from RNO to the playa. And when Burning Man is over, RNO will likely be able to welcome burners again to the airport and ship them on their approach house.
When you’re heading that approach, listed below are some instruments and tidbits about what you will discover on the airport.
Arriving in Reno
Each RNO and the Burning Man occasion web sites have pages devoted to airport logistics and floor transportation. Here’s a hyperlink to the “Welcome Burners” web page on the RNO web site. And that is the hyperlink to the “Preparation Sources” web page on the Burning Man Challenge occasion website.
Each pages have details about attending to and from the RNO airport, and transportation choices to the playa. Choices embrace rental automobiles, ride-hailing companies and the Burner Specific Bus (the station is a couple of four-minute stroll from the terminal). Additionally, Burner Specific Air (an eight-minute drive or an hour stroll from the principle terminal) gives constitution air transportation from RNO out to Black Rock Metropolis Municipal Airport (BRC).
Constitution flights from RNO to BRC take about 45 minutes. They arrive and depart from a big tent adjoining to the Atlantic Aviation constructing that serves because the terminal for Burner Specific Air. In accordance with the Burning Man Challenge web site, “Atlantic Air not permits Burning Man passengers into its facility, partially as a result of mud tracked in through the years.”
Inside RNO, arriving burners will likely be greeted by the lovable pups from the airport’s remedy canine program, Paws 4 passengers. They will additionally admire the Burning Man-themed artwork exhibition titled “A Dream Made Actual.” There may even be details about the right way to get to Black Rock Metropolis (and the place to get provides) on the Air Playa Data welcome desk within the airport terminal foyer (pre-security) between the ticket corridor and baggage declare.
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Bye-Bye burners
When Burning Man is over, the 20,000 or so dusty, drained and partied-out burners who arrived by aircraft will begin making their approach house.
And RNO airport is prepared for that, too.
“Burning Man brings fairly a little bit of playa mud to the airport and our airline companions are prepped with clear plastic luggage to wrap baggage and different checked objects to make sure the mud is not being tracked by the terminal,” RNO’s Nicolle Staten mentioned.
Many burners convey or purchase bikes to get round on the playa. “And we’ll even have a motorcycle corral to take bike donations to assist eradicate undesirable bikes being left across the metropolis,” she mentioned.
The airport may even have a donation station — Burner Gear Giveback — to maintain undesirable tenting tools out of the trash. There will likely be a big trash receptacle on the Burner Specific Bus drop-off location to assist reduce trash left behind.
It is loads of additional effort for airport workers, however price it, in response to Staten. Along with serving to 20,000 Burning Man competition goers have a clean journey, the occasion is helpful to the airport’s backside line, she mentioned. In 2022, RNO operators (concessionaires, gaming and rental automobile operators) generated roughly 20% extra income throughout August and September in comparison with annual month-to-month averages, in response to Staten.
For its half, the Burning Man Challenge web site makes some extent of asking burners heading house to not convey their trash to the airport. It additionally reminds vacationers that there are not any showers or storage amenities at RNO and that objects resembling propane, fireworks, nitrous oxide canisters (‘whippits), and knives will not be allowed in carry-on luggage.
Burners are additionally suggested to “clear up and costume absolutely” earlier than attending to the airport or boarding a aircraft as a result of “many individuals are from different walks of life and it is common courtesy.”
