MISSOULA – Thursday was a day of celebration at Missoula International Airport as the first American Airlines flight touched down at 11:45 a.m.
The addition of a non-stop year-round daily flight to Dallas — and a seasonal flight to Chicago — means there’s more opportunity than ever to travel anywhere across the globe, thanks to these two major hubs.
American Airlines Director of Government Affairs Billy Glunz says based on the success of service in Bozeman and Billings, he expects a perfect marriage between the airline and Missoula,
“Our expectation is that we’re going to have great success here for us and for Missoula in driving traffic and makes Missoula Airport one-stop to the world," Gluntz said. "It’s a great tourist destination and a great place to do business, so we’re happy to make it easier for people to get in and out of Missoula.”
The Missoula Economic Partnership has been diligently working behind for over five years to bring American Airlines to the Garden City. The investment of Missoula’s business community has made all the difference in making this happen.
“There’s revenue guarantees. They expect the revenue guarantees to come…they expect it to come from the community. This actually makes air travel in and out of Missoula more affordable and certainly for companies that we’re recruiting…companies that are actually contemplating doing business here, having more options and more affordable air travel is a very attractive opportunity," Missoula Economic Partnership interim director Jeff Fee said.
Airport director Cris Jensen says the addition of another major airline will provide more traffic — and the promise of an economic boom — as each day brings new seats, and new opportunities.
“That’ll be 150 new seats in our market every day over the course of a year. We’re talking something like 30,000 or over 30,000 seats," Jensen pointed out.
Fee Told MTN News that the of American Airlines also helps overcome a significant barrier for economic growth in Missoula. Click here for more information on the flights offered at Missoula International Airport.
