Superbowl brought Giuliani, Mariah Carey to Hancock
former NYC Mayor Rudolph Giuliani | Stennis International Airport had its fifteen minutes of fame on Superbowl Sunday when air space around New Orleans was closed for 45 Nautical miles to all but commercial traffic for security reasons. Hancock County Port and Harbor officials said Monday that they hope the added awareness of the airport and its services will bring in new customers. The FAA began flight restrictions in the New Orleans area at 6 p.m. on Friday. Those restrictions continued until midnight on Monday. Airport Manager Bill Cotter said that more than 30 private jets or charter services flew into the airport between Friday and Sunday. On Monday morning, 28 of them remained parked at the airport.
Among the famous flying into - or out of Stennis - were former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani; singer Mariah Carey, who sang the National Anthem at the game; and former quarterback for the Washington Redskins Joe Montana. People flew to the airport from all across the country, Cotter said. And the official NFL tapes of the game were also flown out from Stennis.
Football fans were delivered to the game in everything ranging from shuttle buses, to rental cars, to exclusive limousine services. Giuliani's vehicle was escorted from I-10 to his plane at the airport by Hancock County sheriff's deputies. Except for a glitch in Mariah Carey's catering order from a Gulfport area restaurant - which caused her to become very excited, Cotter said - everything went remarkably smooth.
"People actually got to the dome quicker from here than from the New Orleans airport," said Cotter. "Everyone remarked on what a wonderful facility we have. Many said they had no idea that it existed. I have to praise everyone involved in the community for getting together and making this a very successful event. Phillips Aviation (which handled the fuel, parking, and many of the details) really outdid themselves. Wayne Phillips got together, came up with a game plan and stuck with it. There were a lot of comments on their professionalism. Everything we have been saying about the airport being a great facility is true. And finally people got a chance to see it. (Any Town News)
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