Notable, quotable: Passengers and politicians on Paine Field

Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin:

“We are so pleased to be able to showcase the city.” Travelers are going to see this terminal, see the Olympic Mountains and wonder, “What is this beautiful place?”

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Snohomish County Executive Dave Somers:

“This is an exciting time for Snohomish County and the entire Puget Sound region. Today, we begin a new era. Through our innovative partnership with Propeller Airports, we have finally realized our dream and the vision of those who built Paine Field 83 years ago. Snohomish County has a new gateway to the world … Paine Field is already the economic engine of the county, and adding commercial air service will make us much more attractive for businesses looking to invest and for tourists wanting to visit the Pacific Northwest.”

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Cheramie Gaspar, of Lake Stevens:

“Very nice.”

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Teddy Gaspar, of Everett:

“It’s a lot smaller, so it’s less hassle, easier access. It’s closer to home. I really like it.”

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Airport director Arif Ghouse:

“We’re thrilled for the entire community. It will be a boon for the economy.”

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Brett Smith, CEO of Propeller Airports:

“This was a dream come true.”

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Benjamin Stolt, of Seattle:

“I love flying unique routes, inaugural routes … I thought it was a unique, fun thing to try, so as soon as I could get my hands on a ticket, I bought one.”

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Lorrie Zybura, of Everett:

“We used to live in Mukilteo and we’ve been waiting for this forever. We’ll definitely fly more often now that this is here.”

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Qiu Zhongwu, of New York:

“This is the best (terminal). Trust me. I travel very often. I’ve never seen one so clean. It’s like a VIP lounge.”

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Andrew Harrison, Alaska Airlines chief commercial officer:

“The opening of a brand-new commercial air terminal at Paine Field is history in the making.”

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Nicholas Moe, relative of Lt. Topliff Paine, for whom the airport is named:

“It’s wonderful having an airport named after the family. But there was always something missing — commercial flights.”

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Andrew Skotdal, president of office and industrial properties at Skotdal Real Estate:

“A lot of people on the plane have never before been on a plane out of Paine Field. Everybody had their cameras pressed to the windows.”

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Seth Miller, a New Hampshire-based journalist who writes about air travel:

“It’s a gorgeous building.”

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Ed Pizzarello, an aviation enthusiast from Leesburg, Virginia:

“This is one of the nicest small airports I’ve been in by far.”

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Kelly Maloney, president and CEO of the Aerospace Futures Alliance:

“We believe that having commercial flights to and from Paine Field will significantly impact business outreach, including aerospace business, to Snohomish County.”

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U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen:

“The airport is going to improve travel options for passengers in the region and provide much needed relief to traffic congestion.

“As the Chair of the Aviation Subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives, I, myself, am focused on a forward-looking aviation and aerospace agenda to ensure aviation safety, foster innovation in U.S. airspace, improve our competitiveness in the global marketplace, and enhance the air travel experience for passengers.”