Gulf Shores makes history with first-ever commercial flight to Alabama's beaches
GULF SHORES, Ala. (WKRG) — Gulf Shores, prepare for landing because commercial flights have officially landed at the Gulf Shores International Airport, and travel to the Alabama coast just got a whole lot easier.
Taco Bell employee arrested after spitting in woman's food, according to Milton police
Allegiant Airlines Flight 1403 from Knoxville, Tennessee, celebrated with a water cannon welcome. It marks the first time in history that a commercial flight has landed in Gulf Shores.
'It was great,' Todd Binkley, a passenger from Tennessee aboard the flight, said. 'This is a great welcome to a great place.'
'It's a really cool experience,' Paisley Carroll, another passenger from Tennessee, said. 'I never done something like this.'
The city's partnership with Allegiant Air will offer nonstop flights from Gulf Shores to eight different cities, meaning fewer road trips and more air travel for beach goers.
These direct flights from the Gulf Shores International Airport include:
Knoxville
Des Moines
Green Bay
St. Louis
Kansas City
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Cincinnati
Houston
'For a lot of people, especially throughout the Midwest, they've been coming here for years and they've been driving here,' Allegiant Air Vice President Kristen Schilling-Gonzales said. 'So to be able to offer this nonstop opportunity where you can save 12 hours in the car by just getting on a short plane ride, I'd say that's fantastic.'
While some passengers aboard this flight said they were thrilled to be a part of this historic moment, others said they had no idea until they landed.
'I didn't have any idea. I knew this was the first time Allegiant was flying to Gulf Shores,' Binkley said. 'So when they sent us off out of Knoxville and we got here, we couldn't believe it, felt like celebrities getting off an airplane.'
This flight might have made history, but officials with the airline told News 5 this is just the start of commercial flights coming in and out of Gulf Shores.
'We announced the two new routes today, and I really hope that that's just the beginning of a long-term partnership,' Schilling-Gonzales said. 'The more people who are flying, the more that we want to add routes.'
Robertsdale CBD store owner found not guilty of selling narcotics
One flight down with many more in this city's future.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Yahoo
Kimberly-Clark plans $130M expansion in Mobile, adds 29 jobs
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Kimberly-Clark Corporation will expand its Mobile manufacturing facility. Mobile police identify man killed by officers Saturday According to a news release from the Mobile Chamber, this investment is for the company's production line for a new generation of consumer-preferred hygiene products. 'This expansion represents a strategic investment in Kimberly-Clark's future and underscores our commitment to solving unmet consumer needs through innovation,' Kimberly-Clark chief supply chain officer Tamera Fenske said. 'Our Mobile facility exemplifies manufacturing excellence, powered by a team whose skill, dedication and passion deliver the essential products our consumers count on every day,' she said. 'This investment not only enhances our North American manufacturing capabilities but also deepens our longstanding partnership with the Mobile community. We're proud to grow our presence here and create additional opportunities that will benefit both our business and the region for years to come.' Mobile Chamber officials said the project is a capital investment of more than $130 million and will create 29 jobs. 'Kimberly-Clark is one of Mobile's cornerstone employers, and this investment reflects the strength of our workforce and business climate,' Mobile Chamber President and CEO Bradley Byrne said. 'Continued innovation and growth at the Mobile facility mean long-term stability for hundreds of families and a clear signal that Mobile is a smart place to do business.' Bay Minette bank robbery: police give new details Company officials expect the new production line to be operational by the third quarter of 2027. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Yahoo
Monroe County Hospital is considering creating a swing bed program
MONROE COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) — The Monroe County Health Care Authority, which operates Monroe County Hospital, is proposing a move that would create a swing bed program. UPDATE: Man charged with murder after Saenger shooting The Social Security Act allows small, rural hospitals to use some of their beds for skilled nursing facility beds. These allow patients to transition from acute care to a skilled nursing facility without leaving the hospital, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In an application, the MCHCA said if approved, it would convert 10 acute-care beds to swing beds at the Monroe County Hospital in Monroeville. The proposed project would require a certificate of need and is estimated to cost $345,000, according to an MCHCA news release. According to the release, those interested in submitting a written statement or appearing before the Certificate of Need Review Board must do so by July 14, 2025, and provide a copy of the statements to Colin H. Luke, Esquire, at Holland & Knight LLP, 1901 Sixth Avenue North, Suite 1400, Birmingham, Ala., 35203. UPDATE: Federal Bureau of Prisons responds to Todd Chrisley's allegations about FPC Pensacola The application number is AL2025-013. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Yahoo
Florida Department of Transportation completes $9 million street safety and resurfacing project in Escambia County
ESCAMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) — The North Palafox Street Safety and Resurfacing Project has been completed, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. Todd Chrisley speaks out after Trump pardon, alleges racial injustice at FPC Pensacola According to FDOT, the project cost $9 million in safety improvements on a 3.6-mile segment of North Palafox Street (U.S. 29/State Road 95), from Cervantes Street (S.R. 10A) to Brent Lane (S.R. 296) in Escambia County. Safety improvements included upgrading traffic signals, pavement markings, and curb and gutter signage. 'When she called me, she was crying': Nanny Faye's local friend on Todd Chrisley's release Sidewalks were upgraded to comply with requirements outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act. The project included: Reconstructing the North Palafox Street/North Pace Boulevard/Massachusetts Avenue intersection Resurfacing U.S. 29 from Brent Lane to Scott Street Adding 7-foot bicycle lanes in each direction, with 6-foot shoulders between Cervantes Street and Scott Street Adding crosswalks at intersections with signals at West Leonard Street, Fairfield Drive (S.R. 295), and Pace Boulevard (S.R. 292) New signing and pavement markings Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
