Passenger air service from Safford to Phoenix is underway

Cassandra Lejoly exits the Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines plane Monday monring, after the flight arrived in Phoenix. Lejoly was the first customer to purchase a ticket on the new passenger air service from Safford to Phoenix. Also pictured is Safford Assistant City Manager Eric Bejarno, left, who participated in the inaugural flight. - David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central

Posted By: David Bell January 6, 2025

SAFFORD — “This moment didn’t happen overnight, nor did it happen by chance,” Safford Mayor Richard Ortega said during Monday’s ribbon-cutting for new passenger air service between Safford and Phoenix.

“It is the result of visionary leadership, (extraordinary) effort and shared commitment to moving Safford forward,” Ortega said, adding that the air service will benefit economic development and tourism in the Gila Valley.

The ribbon is cut on the first day of passenger air service between Safford Regional Airport and Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix. Pictured are, from left, Irit Langness with Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines; Safford Council members Alma Flores, Arnold Lopez and Steve McGaughey; Safford Airport Manager Cameron Atkins; Mayor Richard Ortega; and Council member Dusti Brantner.
– David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central

At 7:30 a.m. Monday, the first flight on Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines, from Safford to Phoenix took off, with Cassandra Lejoly on board as the first paying customer. Lejoly, who lives in Morenci and tracks asteroids for NASA’s Planetary Defense, said she took the inaugural flight for business.

“I was going to Orlando, Fla., for a conference, and so I thought I would try flying to Phoenix and then I have a flight from Phoenix to Orlando,” Lejoly said.

There are two round-trip flights daily. The first leaves Safford for Phoenix at 7:30 a.m. and departs Phoenix for Safford at 9:30, the other leaves Safford for Phoenix at 3 p.m. and departs Phoenix for Safford at 5 p.m. Each flight is about one hour one way.

While the plan is to build consumer demand for the Phoenix flights, Irit Langness, executive vice president for Gran Canyon Group, said there’s already talk about an additional destination.

“We’re looking at adding a flight to Boulder (City, Nev.), probably twice a month — at least — over weekends,” Langness said.

Irit Langness, with Grand Canyon Scenic Airlines, chats with Graham County Chamber of Commerce Director Vance Bryce after the first passenger air service flight from Safford landed in Phoenix on Monday morning. Passengers disembark at the Jackson Jet Center, where they can rent a vehicle or take a free shuttle to Sky Harbor Airport terminals to catch a connecting flight.
– David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central

The flights are the result of three years of work by Airport Manager Cameron Atkins to secure passenger air service to Safford, the first service in more than 50 years.

“This project would not have been possible without the award of an $800,000 grant through the Small Community Air Service Development Program,” Atkins said. “The award of that grant was in large part due to community partnerships that we built around this project, and the support of our federal legislators, including Congressman Ciscomani, Senator Kelly and Senator Sinema.”

Click here to book a flight.

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