Yuma Airport welcomes weary travelers

About 150 weary, hungry and grumpy air travelers were treated to a gracious Yuma welcome Monday evening, complements of Yuma International Airport officials.

Three U.S Airways planes were diverted from Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix to Yuma between 7 and 8 p.m. Monday, said Craig Williams, airport director. He added that he didn't know why the flights were diverted.

One of the flights had originated in Omaha and been in the air about three hours before landing in Yuma.

"We got word we were having these people coming in hungry and upset," Williams said.

The restaurant at the Yuma International Airport terminal had already closed for the night so airport officials bought 15 pizzas, sodas and bottled water.

"As the passengers came out, we gave them food and water, compliments of the airport," Williams said.

It was, he said, a gesture that seemed to go over well with passengers and pilots.

After an hour or two on the ground, the flights were sent on their way with grateful people in better moods.

In other airport activity, Williams said that in in spite of the slow economy and the loss of the Delta connection to Salt Lake City last August, use of Yuma International Airport by the traveling public has been encouraging.

Through the first two quarters of 2009, a total of 74,716 people had boarded airplanes at the Yuma airport, he said. That's down from the same time last year, when a total of 94,357 boarded a flight in Yuma.

The loss of Delta Air Lines did hurt the total numbers, Williams noted.

However, he is encouraged that United Airline continues to "hold its own" during the difficult economy. In June alone, 1,559 people boarded a United flight in Yuma. And US Airways has seen an increase in passengers every month so far this year except for February. Enplanements for US Airways flights so far in 2009 have ranged from a low of 3,745 in June to a high of 5,499 in March.

United connects with Los Angeles while US Airways connects with Phoenix.

"Our customers just want to save money, and get to their destinations quickly and easily," said Gen Grosse, corporate account manager for Yuma International Airport. “The results aren’t surprising, as more people are finding that flying directly from Yuma proves to be much easier and more cost effective than driving to other cities. The atmosphere at our airport is calm and relaxing, which is also inviting to those traveling for vacation or business purposes."