County Commissioners are considering name changes for the Northwest Florida Regional Airport. The idea brought about plenty of chatter on The Log’s Facebook page. Here’s some of our social media friends had to say.
Elizabeth Haffner: They need to change the names it's so confusing for visitors!
Ken Harrison: International? I chuckle!
Cheryl Rhoads: This is nuts. It is certainly not international and it isn't Destin. Destin already has an airport, clearly having two "Destin" airports would be confusing. It's also a little crazy to continue having name changes.
Jeff Brice: What about Emerald Coast International?
Jay Johnson: People not from the area have no idea where Northwest Florida Reginal Airport is. The name means nothing to them and can easily be confused with Northwest Florida Beaches International (Panama City Beach). Call it exactly what you find on any airport departure/arrival board: Fort Walton Beach. Try searching a travel site for fare information using the current name and you will get nowhere. Plug in Fort Walton Beach and voila.
Andrew Pannelli: VPS pulls up just fine in every travel sites. It is in Valparaiso, not Destin, not Fort Walton. If people want to come here, use Google if your not sure where to fly to, that's what Google is for. This "study" is simple so county and airport employees can peddle of extra money in their pocket. Besides, you can't change the call sign, it's part of Eglin's runway.
Anna Thompson Albrycht: Waste of money to rename.
Kurt Rieper: Why not. Destin Int'l and Destin Exec.... it's simpler and smoother?!?! Adding FWB opens the "same old" can of worms that destroyed previous good intentions... like the... Destin/FWB/Niceville/Crestview/... that's so many irrelevant cities, let's just call it the Emerald Coast(which narrows it down to... the entire Panhandle) TDC... to confuse Tourists!... (local stupidity at its finest) For those arguing, "it's not international"... you are WRONG... the length of the runway(not the flights) make it international.
Mike Martin: Ya can't get a direct flight anyplace out of VPS. International?
Eric Brown: If u want to add international that's fine and dandy but leave it Northwest Florida, period… there's nothing wrong with a name so why change it?
Jack Storey Jr.: What about "Snowbird Junction"?
Melody Johnson Ziegler: The airport is currently in Valparaiso and the runway is on Eglin AFB. Where does FWB and Destin fit in? Destin has an airport!
Rebecca Barron: If it ain't broke....why fix it? Why don't u put a red light at Legacy on the Bay? Needs a light...very dangerous place!
Darren LaPierre: For the record, the airport will always officially be Valparaiso, VPS, Eglin Air Force Base. We do not "share" the runway with the base, the base "allows" the county to operate the airport terminal and the airlines to use the runways!
Donna Hardin: Do we have money in the budget for this? Keep it!
Jim Chavers: Name it...Jimmy Dolittle....or Bud Day.....or leave it as is.
Richard Helton: Stupid no international flights.
Robert Davis: I'd say they named it that for a reason...growth?
Courtney Laird Solley: Changing the name will do no good marketing wise! Emerald Coast International might be where it's at! Or just leave it! Spending unnecessary $$ on all the marketing materials is dumb. Better off using that $$ to obtain bigger contracts!
John Hughes: I like Emerald Coast Regional too!
Donna R. Fox: Silly waste of money...
Shannon Powell: And how much is this going to cost taxpayers?
Daniela Dowell: Stupid name. It's not in Destin or Ft Walton nor is it international.
Gareth Stearns: "The Miracle Airstrip."
Patti Wildass Hanna: I agree this is a waste of tax payer $ in employee time and marketing.
Jay Manchin: It’s corporate America hard at work once again wasting tax dollars. And once again everyone is crying about it. If this would have been voted on and you all went and voted and it still passed you would still be crying cause corporate America won again.