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New airport set to open in Florida Panhandle
Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is set to open in Panama City, Fla., in May, and travelers can already book flights to the new facility.The big coup for the new airport is a deal with Southwest Airlines, which did not previously fly any routes to the Florida Panhandle. Southwest will offer nonstop flights between Panama City and Nashville, Orlando, Houston and Baltimore beginning May 23.
Delta, which already serves Panama City's existing airport from Atlanta and Memphis, will move to the new and improved one.
But is there a need for a new airport with a 10,000-foot runway in a town of 37,000?
That's the question the New York Times asked, and the newspaper got all kinds of answers.
The airport's main backer, the St. Joe Company, is a major real estate developer in Florida that owns hundreds of thousands of acres of undeveloped land in -- guess where? -- the area that will be served by the new airport. Company officials say the airport is one step in a plan to build the area into a major international destination.
Environmentalists say the building of the new airport on wetlands was damaging to the environment. And a former Delta executive says building the new airport was unnecessary, when the old airport could have been enlarged.
The biggest challenge to the new airport in Panama City right now is the economy. Will the airport survive until Florida travel rebounds?
Filed under: United States, Airports, News
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Richard Mar 11th 2010 11:19AM
"If you build it, they will come"
wordman238 Mar 11th 2010 8:40PM
Hilarious!!!! Roflol!!!!!!
Garrett Mar 11th 2010 1:41PM
Redneck Riviera HERE WE COME!!!
I'll make sure to throw another 12-er of Natty for this one.
Al Schrader Mar 11th 2010 4:27PM
Sorry but Delta cancelled their common stock shares (now worthless) and re-issued them to new investors as good stock. Sorry, but I don't trust them. Would not surprise me if bottom of your Delta plane simply fell-out....Al-
John Mar 12th 2010 6:58PM
Well, when you sit down and think about the new airport, it is going to make it easier for travelers to the Panhandle, also make it easier for Spring Breakers to arrive and also instead of people having to travel to other places just to get a flight out will not have to do that anymore...
frances Mar 11th 2010 11:44PM
need airport in port st lucie
Susanne Mar 11th 2010 5:01PM
What they didn't tell the reporter was that St. Joe is paying Southwest for 3 years to fly in to ECP (the old PFN). I wish the Delta rep would've said that like 4 years ago! The locals are not happy about how this airport is destroying the wetlands and the bay, where is the Sierra Club when your REALLY need them!!
Ray Mar 11th 2010 5:10PM
Joe Scarborough will love it. This is good for our economic recovery...let's build airports in every 50,000 person city.
Monty Mar 11th 2010 5:19PM
Hey the locals love the new airport. Delta has been ripping us off for years with highly inflated ticket prices. Guess who just dropped their prices now that Southeast is coming. Gotta love that. As far as destroying the wetlands goes, that's a joke. Nothing has been destroyed. I think the the mosquito's are going to have plenty to eat with more tourists showing up. And with more tourists come more jobs, which is what Bay County needs with 12% unemployment. Let's see, wetlands or jobs. America, you decide.
Beth Mar 12th 2010 12:41AM
Monty, you obviously have not an iota of an idea why wetlands are important to protect. It doesn't have to be a choice between jobs and protection of our environment, son. Wake up.
Furthermore, the plural of mosquito is mosquitoes. Apostrophes have a very important function (just like wetlands) and it has nothing to do with creating plurals.
Ken Mar 11th 2010 5:40PM
Yup need an airport there. I am going to go buy a condo in Destin or Okaloosa Beach now before they get even more overpriced! And then sell it to one of those poor saps that falls in love with the "white sandy beaches." All aside, it beats the heck out of Miami where you are shunned if you don't speak Spanish.
Giles Mar 11th 2010 5:54PM
It the Has Been City Times lusts wet lands, let them implode the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, etc., get some fire hoses, some croc o diles, not to be confused with a croc of Wall Street mismanagement, millions a malaria, yellow fever, etc., viruses, skeeters to deliver them, water mocassins, and have their own Manhatten swamp for their gay republican carpetbagger mayor to splash around in drag in. Krackers need jobs, fiddles, jobs, dobros, jobs, mandolins, jobs, harmonicas, jobs, and black blues bands wearing red Xs (and jobs!).
ropi56 Mar 11th 2010 6:44PM
Giles,you seriously need to change the bong water
Robert Christian Mar 12th 2010 3:07AM
I LOVEEEEEEEEEEEEE THIS ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! stop using kool-aid!!!
stephenie Mar 11th 2010 6:02PM
The 2006 census stated that bay county Florida had 163,505 people, not 37,000. Somebody needs to do some fact checking! That was 2006, I wonder what it will be when the 2010 census is done!
ropi56 Mar 11th 2010 6:40PM
that's 163,505 people but only 417,956 teeth
Tami Mar 11th 2010 7:39PM
the article says PANAMA CITY has 37,000, not Bay County. Big difference
stephenie Mar 12th 2010 5:57PM
The 2006 census stated that bay county Florida had 163,505 people, not 37,000. Somebody needs to do some fact checking! That was 2006, I wonder what it will be when the 2010 census is done!
Minxee Mar 11th 2010 6:55PM
I live in Bay County and I was finding it difficult to travel from here without paying such high fees.No they didn't destroy the wetlands to build it and there is still plenty around here.I believe it will be great for this area and for Florida too.It will boost the economy here and it will let people travel around better in Florida.I can now plan a trip to Orlando and fly there instead of driving 6 hours.Shoot might be able to get to Miami too on a cheaper flight.Delta took advantage of our area for sure with there high prices.No more having to drive two to three hours just to get a flight that was reasonable.Oh and Its not just the Bay area that will enjoy the cheap flights there are other areas too that will appreciate the new airport and its better rates.
Leonard Mar 11th 2010 7:28PM
I agree with your assessment 100%.