Southwest Airlines has landed at the Palm Springs International Airport

“This is a historic moment for our city and our airport and our community,” Palm Springs Mayor Pro Tem Christy Holstege told News Channel 3.

Southwest Airlines has landed at The Palm Springs International Airport. A ribbon-cutting ceremony welcomed the airlines on Sunday morning.

“People have been working to get Southwest here for a decade,” Holstege said.

Now, people can fly on Southwest Airlines to and from Phoenix, Oakland and Denver.

“Palm Springs has always been on our list of places we’ve wanted to go,” the Vice President of Network Planning for Southwest Airlines, Adam Decaire told News Channel 3 during the ribbon cutting ceremony.

We asked Decaire if they plan on adding more flights in the future.

“We’re going to pay attention to the demand and how many people have chosen to fly us and our customer’s needs and then we will respond to it accordingly so if people choose to fly us then we will add more service,” Decaire said.

Al Jones, the Chairman of the Palm Springs International Airport Commission said this new addition will be a great economic driver.

“It will increase significantly the economic vitality of the Coachella Valley and City of Palm Springs,” Jones said.

Unlike some airlines at the airport, Southwest Airlines will be a year-round service. They will not be seasonal.

In light of the recent travel advisory suggesting people self-quarentine for 14 days after traveling to California from other states or inter-city travel, Holstege addressed the importance of safe traveling in the pandemic.

“The city is working incredibly hard to keep people safe during the pandemic so we require masks in the airport, in downtown and in our businesses, so we’re working hard to keep our residents, businesses and workers safe knowing that people are still traveling here," she said.

Southwest Airlines told us their flights are leaving the middle seat vacant until November 30. They say their flights have an air filtration system that pumps clean air every two to three minutes.

The Palm Springs International Airport is also giving away two round-trip tickets on the airline. It's part of their new "Choose Your Adventure" promotion which runs through November 20. To enter, like or follow Palm Springs International Airport on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and comment on any of the airport's "Choose Your Adventure" posts.

To book a flight visit here: https://www.southwest.com/