Southwest Airlines welcomed its first flight to Colorado Springs on Thursday with cheers, applause and high fives, a moment nearly 20 years in the making.
The first passengers on a Southwest Airlines flight to arrive at the Colorado Springs Airport are welcomed with signs and cheers Thursday, March 11, 2021. The first flight into the airport was from Denver and the first flight out returned to DIA. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)
Christian Murdock/The Gazette
Like a spurned suitor, Colorado Springs officials tried in vain for more than 20 years to woo much-coveted Southwest Airlines and its discount airfares to the city.
But after years of rejection and disappointment, everything changed for Colorado Springs in just a matter of a few weeks. Now, Southwest is poised to launch service in March from the Colorado Springs Airport.
As unlikely as it might seem, air travelers looking forward to Southwestâs discount fares can thank the COVID-19 pandemic, in part, for opening the door to the carrierâs decision to consider Colorado Springs. Then, signs of growth around the Springsâ airport and an array of new city amenities and public improvements helped dazzle Southwest officials, who also were given a promise of $2.5 million in public and private incentives to help seal the deal.
Colorado Springs Airport (COS) announced Wednesday it has purchased a ten-acre parcel of land from Colorado Springs School District 11. The land, which is located to the east of the airport on Peterson Air Force Base, was originally dedicated to the school district with the intent of building a school, prior to the airport being built in 1993. Due to the location of the runway of the new airport, the school district could no longer make use of.
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Colorado Springs Airport has purchased a 10-acre parcel of land from Colorado Springs School District 11. The land is east of COS on Peterson Air Force Base.
The airport is working with the base to possibly use the land to meet the needs of the installation and help maintain compatibility with airport operations.
âWe are very grateful for the partnership COS has with Colorado Springs School District 11 and the future possibilities of this land,â COS Director of Aviation Greg Phillips said.
The land was originally dedicated to District 11 with the intended purpose of building a school. This was before 1993, when the new Colorado Springs Airport was built.