Bangor International has had it’s share of diverted flights over the years. Bomb threats, drunk and unruly passengers, etc.
The City of Bangor gets fat fees from the airlines for these diversions. Bangor has a small amount of commercial airline flights every day, as well as general aviation. The Maine Air National Guard has a base that’s part of the Bangor International facility. It was called Dow Field during World War II. I attended an air show at the Maine Air National Guard facility in late May of 2000. It was the one and only appearance of the Navy’s Blue Angels in northern Maine since the Blue Angels’ were established in 1946.
Our troops come and go through Bangor International on a regular basis. After the first Gulf War in 1991, returning troops were met by mobs of local people.....the terminal was packed wall-to-wall with well-wishers. There are glass display cabinets in the terminal showing military uniforms and memorabilia from this era.
Since 2003, more than 6,000 flights carrying one million military men and women have landed at Bangor International.
Local people, known as “troop greeters,” meet each and every one of these planes no matter the time of the day or night. The troop greeters chat with the troops, give them pre-paid cell phone and snacks to eat, etc. There are a lot of flag wavers around here.
Posts 37 & 38...
I never knew. So appreciate Freepers educating Freepers. Thank you.
On several occasions, decades ago....I had to fly out of Charleston AFB...and of course, we stopped in Bangor every single time. The excuse was that we just wouldn’t have enough fuel. After the 707’s were all retired, that was the end of any halts in Bangor. They made a ton of money off the airlines for years and years. Today? I doubt if they have more than six planes a year make unscheduled stops there.