GULF SHORES — The 400-plus community leaders and residents who showed up for the ribbon-cutting of the new Gulf Shores International Airport were expecting to watch the very first commercial flight land. What they did not expect was a “lagniappe.” That’s a South Alabama word for “something extra.” They also heard the announcement of two added destinations for regular flights to the new airport.
City officials of Alabama’s new “tri-cities” — Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Foley — joined with business leaders and Allegiant Airlines officials to cut the ribbon on the state’s newest airport. It has a long official name: The Gulf Shores International Airport at Jack Edwards Field.
The highlight of the ceremony was the landing of the first-ever commercial flight there. It came in from Knoxville carrying 97 passengers plus crew. The Allegiant flight was celebrated with a water cannon salute and a hearty welcome from the local crowd.
The plane turned around and headed back to Knoxville at 5:15 p.m.
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach have always been known as places you have to drive your car to get to. They are automobile-driven destinations. Down I-65, which can get crowded. On to Highway 59, which stays crowded on weekends and holidays. Or on to the Foley Beach Express, which can get more crowded the farther south you get.
The City of Gulf Shores, the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber and Allegiant Airlines hosted the event.
Optimistic forecasts say that 60,000 passengers a year will come to the Alabama Gulf via air.
The officials and residents at the ceremony knew that the airport had scheduled six destinations for regular flights to and from south Baldwin County: Knoxville, St. Louis, Houston, Kansas City, Arkansas and Cincinnati. The new announcement of the day was that two new destinations are being added in October 2025: Appleton, Wisconsin, and Des Moines, Iowa.
Locals and tourists on the Alabama Gulf coast are used to seeing hundreds of car tags from the Midwest. There may be fewer now, as Midwesterners can fly instead of driving to our Gulf.
The new airport may seem small to many frequent flyers. It is not the Atlanta airport. It is an $8 million facility with two passenger gates.
The airport has been in operation for 40 years, but only for private and charter planes. Wednesday marked the addition of scheduled commercial flights.
Jim ‘Zig’ Zeigler’s beat is the colorful and positive about Alabama -- her people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at [email protected].
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