(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Spring travel is at its peak, as many people are beginning to migrate towards warmer temperatures and beach vacations. The Colorado Springs Airport (COS) is reminding travelers that their beach getaways are just a flight away. The airport is offering its first international flight in just a few months.
It is officially time to dig up your passport because starting on June 7, COS is offering its first international flight to Cancun. International travel requires passengers to go through customs.
“I think this is a window of opportunity to tell our global partners that Colorado Springs is open for business,” said Mayor Yemi Mobolade.
The airport gave Fox21 a sneak peek into the area, and while it was empty on Monday, in just a few weeks, it is expected to be packed.
“This airport truly unlocks those three opportunities, tourism, business, and connecting with family and friends,” said the mayor.
The new facility took more than a year and $8.4 million to build the new Federal Inspection Station, also known as FIS. The area is sixteen thousand three hundred square feet, and cost taxpayers nothing.
“We’ve been able to take existing infrastructure and do some minor reconstruction and enhancement, and added new carpet just to make it a very welcoming environment for residents as they’re leaving, but also as they’re coming in,” said the mayor.
The FIS facility is a specialized arrivals center designed for U.S. Customs and Border Protection screenings. It’s where all incoming international flights and passengers will scan their passports, and undergo baggage checks to make sure both the passenger and their souvenirs are welcome back into the States.
“The goal is obviously to grow this facility. It has a capacity of 200 people per hour, so we can process at least one flight per hour based on the current capacity of the facility. So, our goal is obviously to have more flights as soon as possible,” said Alex Kovas, Director of Aviation at COS.
You’d better grab your sunscreen and start planning your next trip to Cancun, because the first international flights to Cancun are available right now through Southwest Airlines for only four hundred dollars.
Customs wants to remind passengers to declare any items they want to bring back from their beach vacation, to ensure a smooth process back into Colorado Springs.
