MUSKEGON COUNTY, Mich. — Water cannons from the Muskegon County Airport's fire trucks made it a grand entrance for Denver Air Connection as their 50-seat commercial jet touched down on the tarmac for the first time.
"The thing that everybody wants is air service, 'how can I use this airport to travel, to get to where I want to go,' so we had to address that," said airport director Ken Efting.
Starting on Nov. 1, Denver Air Connection will have two daily flights from Muskegon that will land at Chicago O'Hare.
The Muskegon County Airport has been without an airline for more than a year, and according to Rachel Gorman with the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce, there's a lot of hype around an increase of travelers for local businesses.
"There's so many businesses that are choosing Muskegon County as their first North American headquarters, so this transportation option is going to help further that development and help businesses connect globally from Muskegon and the lakeshore to the world, and we are living in a time where everyone wants to travel so again, another option in their hometown," said Gorman.
With the closest commercial airport for Muskegon-area travers in Grand Rapids, Efting said they hope the option will help ease barriers.
"We're extremely excited. You can't beat the convenience of flying out of a regional airport," said Efting. The parking is free, checked bags on Denver Air Connection is free, you can be parked and at the gate within ten minutes here."
If you're looking to hop on one of the Denver Air Connection flights from Muskegon County, you can book tickets through Delta, United or American airlines, or go through one of the major booking sites.