GULF SHORES – All eyes – and cameras – were toward the sky as South Baldwin communities gathered at Gulf Shores International Airport's (GUF) new terminal awaiting the landing of the first commercial flight into Baldwin County Wednesday, May 21.

State, county and city officials from Foley, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach were at the airport to celebrate the event among the hundreds of business owners and residents in attendance.

Some officials flew to Knoxville Wednesday morning to catch a ride back on the inaugural flight, including Gulf Shores Councilmen Jason Dyken, Phillip Harris and Steve Jones and Orange Beach Councilman Jerry Johnson.

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism CEO Beth Gendler also was on board the “amazing” flight. She said it was “truly a great experience.” She said the energy of the plane was “fun” as she could tell most all of the passengers were going on vacation, many being families with children.

“Typically, when you’re flying on a plane you don’t know if (the other passengers) are business, military, vacation, where they’re going or what they’re doing,” Gendler said. “All these people were coming to the beach to have fun. To our beach to have fun.”

She said McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) in Knoxville held a celebration before the plane departed where they handed out cookies and keychains to commemorate the flight.

“It was, you know, their first inaugural flight down here, too, but it was ours for ever,” Gendler said.

The use of the airport “goes both ways” for visitors to come to the Alabama Gulf Coast and for locals to travel around the country, Gendler said. She mentioned how she can’t wait to go back to Knoxville and enjoy the surrounding Great Smoky Mountains. From a tourism perspective, she said she thinks the airport opens the way for people who “want to come here” but “don’t want to drive nine hours.”

“I hope that our residents will go explore,” she said, “and then all of these new people and the people that know us, love us, now have a quicker way to get here.”

Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft said with this resource now available to the public, it’s “up to us as a community” to encourage people to visit Gulf Shores via air travel.

To support the new commercial airport, Craft said, “We’ve got to invite people to come to town and fly in, we’ve got to create a transportation system to get them from here to the accommodations, and some of us locals are going to have to decide to take a trip.”

GUF Airport Director Jesse Fosnaugh said it will be an “extension of our community and our hospitality.”

“It’s going to change everything. These incoming airline passengers are going to have a far-reaching economic impact beyond the typical road traveler,” Fosnaugh said. “I think it’s important to understand how they’re different. Air travelers spend less time in a vehicle, which means more nights in hotels, more restaurants, more attraction visits and enjoying our family friendly beaches more often, which increases the tax rolls, and therefore greater services can be offered for our citizens and visitors.”

Fosnaugh said TSA agents, rental car agents and other airport staff will be the “first and the last smiles” people see when visiting the area via the air travel.

“I know the passengers are your customers, too,” Fosnaugh said to the audience, “and we’re going to take good care of them here and deliver world-class hospitality and customer service. I accept nothing less.”

The first flight brought many visitors to Gulf Shores, and the aircraft was set to return to Knoxville with another load of passengers Wednesday afternoon. Another round trip to the Great Smoky Mountains will be completed on Saturday.

As previously reported by GCM, there will be six destinations with direct flights going in and out twice weekly for a total of 12 flights through GUF per week through the summer and wrapping up in the fall.

Fosnaugh previously said the destinations and ticket rates are "well-suited" for weekend trips or longer vacations for those coming and going from Gulf Shores.

Flights to Knoxville via McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) began May 21 and will run on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Flights to Cincinnati, Ohio, via Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) begin May 22 and will run on Sundays and Thursdays.

The first Houston, Texas, flight lands at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) May 22 and will run on Sundays and Thursdays.

Flights to Bentonville/Fayetteville, Arkansas, which land at Northwest National Airport (XNA), start on May 22 and will run on Sundays and Thursdays.

Flights to Belleville, Illinois, land at MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (BLV) starting May 23 and will run on Mondays and Fridays.

The first Kansas City, Missouri, flight land at Kansas City International Airport (MCI) on May 24 and will continue with trips on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Allegiant Travel Company is the inaugural commercial airline flying out of GUF. Tickets for the six destinations are now available to and from GUF through the middle of August at www.allegiantair.com.

More information on flights, car rentals, hotel booking and vacation packages can be found at https://flyjka.com.

Two additional flights for the fall season were announced the day of the inaugural GUF flight, adding destinations Appleton/Green Bay, Wisconsin, via Appleton International Airport (ATW) and Des Moines, Iowa, via Des Moines International Airport (DSM).

Flights from Wisconsin begin Oct. 2 and will run on Sundays and Thursdays. Flights from Iowa begin on Oct. 3 and will run on Mondays and Fridays.