Sunday, May 26, 2013
Weather ForecastSince the 1930s, we have proudly served the air transportation needs of the people of the Gulf Coast. Today, we continue to upgrade our facility and offer all a range of air travel’s most modern amenities. As an independent, self-funded entity we do it all without local tax dollars.
Prior to 1970
| 1929 | Bates Field at Brookley is officially dedicated as an airport |
| 1937 | First commercial air carrier service begins |
| 1938 | Bates Field is moved to its current location in west Mobile - 8400 Airport Blvd. |
| 1947 | Mobile Municipal Airport terminal constructed at Bates Field in west Mobile |
| 1950 | Mobile Municipal Airport airline’s carry 30,000 enplaned passengers |
| 1965 | Coast Guard moves its aviation training center to Bates Field |
1970
| November 14, 1972 | First board meeting of Interim Airport Authority |
| 1977 |
County Commission authorizes expansion of Mobile Municipal Airport and creation of the Mobile Airport Authority through Alabama State Legislation Airport served by Eastern Airlines, Southern Airways, and National Airlines |
| June 20, 1978 | Groundbreaking ceremony for airport runway expansion |
| September 1978 | Delta files a petition with the Civil Aeronautics Board to serve Mobile |
| October 22, 1978 | Southeastern Airport Managers Association Conference held in Mobile |
| 1978 | Airline Deregulation Act passed |
| April 16, 1979 | 47th consecutive record breaking month, in terms of passengers, at Mobile Municipal Airport |
| June, 1979 | Texas International Airlines begins serving Mobile with a special round-trip fare of $0.20 |
1980
| January 11, 1980 |
City Commissioners agree to move forward with new airport facility Instruct attorneys to create documentation for a five-member municipal airport authority board of directors |
| January 16, 1980 | Mobile Bay Taxi begins serving Mobile Municipal Airport |
| January 1980 | Pan American World Airways merges with National Airlines |
| December 20, 1982 |
G. Bay Haas is appointed Executive Director of the Mobile Airport Authority Airport Authority becomes the owner and operator of Mobile Municipal Airport, Brookley Downtown Airport and Brookley Industrial Complex (now Brookley Aeroplex) |
| January 3, 1983 | G. Bay Haas’ first day as Executive Director |
| 1984 | Mobile Municipal Airport reaches 40 flights per day aboard American, Delta, Eastern, Republic and two commuter carriers: Air New Orleans and Scheduled Skyways |
| March 5, 1985 | Groundbreaking Ceremony for new airport terminal |
| 1984 | Mobile and Gulfport/Biloxi Airports declared a Foreign Trade Zone |
| October 27, 1986 | Official Dedication of M.C. Farmer Terminal – Mobile Municipal Airport |
| November 1, 1986 | Mobile Municipal Airport opens with the arrival of American Airlines flight 143 |
1990
| Fall 1993 |
USAir, Delta, Continental and American serve Mobile Conquest Commuter Airline begins serving Mobile |
| October 1993 | American Airlines ends service/American Eagle begins service to Mobile |
| November 1993 | Continental Airlines ends service to Mobile |
| March 21, 1994 | Conquest ends commuter airline service |
| April 1994 | Delta begins service to Birmingham |
| May 27, 1994 | UltraAir begins service to Birmingham and New York |
| July 1994 | UltraAir goes out of business |
| October 8, 1994 | “Family” sculpture unveiled |
| 1994 | Mobile Regional served by: USAir, Delta Air Lines, American Eagle, Conquest, Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Continental Express and Northwest Airlink |
| May 1995 | USAir ends service to Charlotte |
| September 1995 |
Continental Express resumes flights to Houston American Eagle begins service to Tampa |
| November 1, 1995 | Gulfstream International Airlines begins service to Birmingham, New Orleans and Tampa |
| March, 1996 | “Mobile” Jet Express (Myrtle Beach Direct Air) delays starting service to New York, Chicago and Atlanta due to lack of demand; set to start on May 24 (service never starts) |
| May 2, 1996 | ValuJet/AirTran begins service to Atlanta (also starts service from Fort Walton) |
| May 11, 1996 |
ValuJet plane crashes in everglades ValuJet/AirTran begins service to Atlanta (again) |
| April 10, 1997 | AirTran begins service to Atlanta for the third time |
| July 1997 |
Delta begins service to Birmingham Direct flights: • Delta Connection/COMAIR- 3 flights (jets) to Cincinnati • Continental Express – 2 flights (jets), 1 flight (turboprop) to Houston • Delta Airlines - 8 flights (jets) to Atlanta, 3 flights (jets) to Dallas, 1 flight (jet) to Birmingham • United Express – 2 flights (jets) to Chicago (ORD), 1flight (jet) to Washington (IAD) • Northwest Airlink – 4 flights (jets) to Memphis |
| May 1998 |
AirTran discontinues service to Mobile 1999 ACA/United Express begins service (jets) to Chicago ACA/United Express begins service (jets) to Washington, DC Comair begins service (jets) Cincinnati Northwest Airlink upgrades to all jets |
| March 15, 1999 | AirTran and the Beau Rivage join to start service to/from Gulfport to six AirTran cities: Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Houston (HOU), Nashville (BNA), Ft. Lauderdale (FLL), Tampa (TPA) and AirTran's hub, Atlanta (ATL) |
2000
| 2000 | Continental Express upgrades all flights to jets |
| March 2000 | Northwest Airlink upgrades aircraft to regional jets |
| 2001 |
US Airways Express begins service (jets) to Charlotte ACA/United Express cuts flights to Dulles and Chicago O’Hare Mobile Regional offers ground transportation after Capital Transportation leaves airport |
| November 6, 2001 | AirTran begins service to Pensacola and terminates service to Fort Walton Beach |
| 2002 |
SkyWest/DL Connection begins service (jets) Dallas Awarded Small Community Air Service Development Grant for Station Services Program |
| July 1, 2003 | Chautauqua/DL Connection begins service (jets) to Orlando |
| June 2005 | American Eagle begins service with two daily flights (jets) to Dallas/Fort Worth |
| November, 2005 |
American Eagle adds a third flight to Dallas/Fort Worth Continental Express adds two flights to Houston (6 total) |
| September, 2006 | Delta restores Cincinnati service (1 flight) |
| October, 2006 | M.C. Farmer Terminal / Mobile Regional Airport turned 20 years old |
| May 2006 | AirTran re-starts service from Gulfport to Tampa and Fort Lauderdale, continues service to Atlanta; restores service to level held before Hurricane Katrina |
| April, 2007 | American Eagle adds service to Chicago O’Hare (1 flight) |
| June, 2007 | American Eagle adds a fourth flight to Dallas/Fort Worth |
| January, 2008 | American Eagle removes the fourth flight to Dallas/Fort Worth due to a pilot strike |
| April, 2008 | American Eagle reinstates the fourth flight to Dallas/Fort Worth |
| June, 2008 |
American Eagle adds a fifth flight to Dallas/Fort Worth Delta upgrades two 50-seat jets to CR-9 (76 seats) |
| September, 2008 | American Eagle removes the flight to Chicago O’Hare (ORD) due to price of fuel |
| October 6, 2008 | William “Bill” B. Sisson is appointed Executive Director of the Mobile Airport Authority |
| November, 2008 | American Eagle removes two flights (fourth and fifth) to Dallas/Fort Worth |
| June, 2009 |
Delta bring MD-88 mainline service back to Mobile Delta adds an eighth and ninth flight to Atlanta |
| August, 2009 | American Eagle reinstates fourth flight to Dallas Fort/Worth |
Mardi Gras Queens posing at Mobile Airport, 1931, Erik Overbey Collection, University of South Alabama Archives.
Eastern Airlines flight from Mobile, circa 1950, Stephens G. Croom Collection, University of South Alabama Archives. University of South Alabama Archives.
The USS Enterprise on its way to the World's Fair in New Orleans, 1984. University of South Alabama Archives.
Mobile Regional Airport terminal building at night Courtesy of MyShotz