Jazmin Li
Sioux Gateway Airport, serving Sioux City, Iowa, is assigned the airport code SUX. Sioux City officials have historically tried to change the code due to its negative connotations, but in recent years, the city has embraced the code, with the airport's gift shop selling merchandise displaying the Fly SUX logo.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Airport Name | Sioux Gateway Airport |
| Airport City | Sioux City |
| Airport State | Iowa |
| Airport Code | SUX |
| Airport Code with Prefix | KSUX |
| Airport Website | www.flysux.com |
| Number of Flights a Day | 2 |
| Airlines Operating from the Airport | United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines |
| Destinations | Chicago, Denver |
| Airport Amenities | Free Wi-Fi, workstations, telephone service, computer ports, internet access, an on-site cafe, and a gift shop |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Sioux Gateway Airport's IATA code is SUX
Sioux Gateway Airport, located in Sioux City, Iowa, has the unfortunate IATA code of SUX. The airport's identifier has been a contentious issue due to its negative connotation, sounding identical to the slang word "sucks". Despite attempts to change the code, the alternatives offered by the FAA, including GAY, were deemed unappealing, and the airport has since embraced the SUX identifier.
The airport's board member, Dave Bernstein, proposed embracing the code in 2007, suggesting that they "make the best of it". He, along with Luanne Lindblade, owner of Sioux City Gifts, created the "Fly SUX" logo and merchandise, including t-shirts, baseball caps, coffee mugs, luggage tags, and bumper stickers. The campaign has been a success, with an increase in the number of people choosing to fly into and out of SUX.
Sioux Gateway Airport offers convenient travel alternatives to bigger cities, with daily nonstop flights to Chicago and Denver. The airport also provides amenities such as free Wi-Fi, workstations, telephone services, and an on-site café and gift shop.
The airport has a rich history, initially serving as one of the first Air Force Reserve bases after the war. In 1946, the 185th Iowa Air National Guard unit was established at Sioux City, offering flight and ground training to Air Force Reserve members in several midwestern states. The airport was turned over to the Air Force Reserve and Iowa Air National Guard for limited military use in 1966.
Today, Sioux Gateway Airport continues to serve the Sioux City metro area, providing easy parking, fast check-ins, and short TSA lines, making it a convenient option for travellers.
Mobile Passport App: Airports That Support the Feature
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Sioux City officials tried to change the airport code
Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City, Iowa, has the unfortunate airport code SUX. The airport code has been the butt of many jokes over the years, and Sioux City officials have tried to change it. In 1988, after more than 50 years of jokes, the city appealed to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to change the airport's moniker. The FAA offered them GAY, as in Sioux Gateway Airport, but the city declined, saying "Thanks but no thanks."
Despite the embarrassment caused by the airport code, some locals have embraced it and even turned it into a marketing opportunity. Dave Bernstein, an airport board member, created T-shirts emblazoned with the words "Fly SUX" and gave them to travel agents at an appreciation dinner. The president of Northwest Airlines was among the first to ask for one of the T-shirts. With the help of Luanne Lindblade, the owner of Sioux City Gifts, Bernstein also created the "Fly SUX" logo and changed the airport's official website to FlySUX.com, all without consulting his fellow board members or the city council.
The "Fly SUX" campaign appears to have been a success, with the number of people choosing to fly into and out of SUX nearly doubling in the year after the campaign began. Frontier Airlines' decision to add service to the airport also contributed to the increase in passenger numbers.
While the airport code may still prompt snickers from some, Sioux City officials have ultimately decided to embrace it and even use it to their advantage. The "Fly SUX" merchandise is now available in the airport gift shop, and the unique airport code has raised awareness of the airport and drawn attention to the community. As Bernstein says, "Why fight it? Why not have fun with it? Let's exploit it rather than let it bother us."
Ontario, California: Airport Hub or Just a Stopover?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The FAA offered the code GAY as an alternative
Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City, Iowa, has the airport code SUX. In 1988, after more than 50 years of being the butt of jokes, Sioux City officials appealed to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to change the airport's moniker. The FAA offered the code GAY as an alternative, which was declined by the local leaders.
Sioux City's airport code, SUX, has long been a source of amusement and embarrassment for the city. In an effort to improve their image, the city approached the FAA in 1988, requesting a new code. However, the offered alternative of GAY was not well-received, and the city decided to stick with their original code.
While the exact reason for the FAA's suggestion of GAY is not known, it may have been a well-intentioned attempt to provide a more positive and uplifting code. Alternatively, it could have been a simple acronym based on the airport's name, Sioux Gateway Airport, with the "A" being a filler letter.
Despite the initial resistance to the SUX code, the city has since embraced it and even turned it into a marketing opportunity. Local businesses have created merchandise, such as T-shirts and baseball caps, displaying the "Fly SUX" logo. This campaign, along with the addition of new airlines, has contributed to an increase in passenger traffic at the airport.
The SUX code is not the only unusual airport code out there. Two-letter airport codes, such as LA for Los Angeles and PH for Phoenix, were once the norm until the increasing number of airports in the 1930s necessitated three-letter codes. Other codes, like ORD for Chicago's O'Hare Airport and MSY for New Orleans' airport, have interesting historical or geographical origins.
Arriving Early: How Far Before Your Flight Should You Arrive?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Sioux Gateway Airport is the smallest airport for some
Sioux Gateway Airport, located in Sioux City, Iowa, is branded with the unfortunate airport code SUX. Sioux City officials have tried to change the code, but to no avail. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) offered the alternative code GAY, which the locals declined.
Sioux Gateway Airport covers 2,460 acres of land at an elevation of 1,098 feet above mean sea level. It has two runways: one concrete and one asphalt. The airport is home to a variety of aircraft, including single-engine, multi-engine, jet, helicopter, and military planes.
The airport offers convenient travel options for those in the Sioux City metro area, with daily nonstop flights to Chicago, Denver, and beyond through United Airlines. Sioux Gateway Airport also boasts easy parking, fast check-ins, and short TSA lines, making it an attractive option for travellers.
In recent years, Sioux Gateway Airport has embraced its unique airport code, using it as a marketing tool. The airport's website is FlySUX.com, and merchandise displaying the "Fly SUX" logo is available in the gift shop. The number of people choosing to fly into and out of SUX has increased significantly, which may be due in part to the "Fly SUX" campaign.
Despite its small size and quirky airport code, Sioux Gateway Airport has a significant place in aviation history. Several notable crashes have occurred at or near the airport, including the United Airlines Flight 232 disaster in 1989, which was one of the most famous aviation disasters in American history.
Clear's Airport Availability: Where Can I Use It?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The airport has embraced its code with Fly SUX merchandise
Sioux Gateway Airport, located in Sioux City, Iowa, has the airport code SUX. The airport has fully leaned into its unique identifier, with the website address FlySUX.com and a range of "Fly SUX" merchandise available in the airport gift shop.
Sioux City officials tried to change the airport's code in 1988, but the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) offered them "GAY" instead, which they declined. The airport's board member, Bernstein, then decided to lean into the code, creating "Fly SUX" T-shirts and other merchandise without consulting his fellow board members or the city council. The merchandise includes T-shirts, baseball caps, coffee mugs, beanies, bumper stickers, and luggage tags, all displaying the "Fly SUX" logo.
Luanne Lindblade, the owner of Sioux City Gifts, the company that markets the "Fly SUX" items, explained their reasoning: "We have always believed, 'Why fight it? Why not have fun with it?' Let's exploit it rather than let it bother us."
The "Fly SUX" campaign is believed to have contributed to the increase in the number of people choosing to fly into and out of the airport. The campaign has helped to bring attention to the airport and its convenient location, easy parking, fast check-ins, and short TSA lines.
America's Airports: Enhancing Security, Efficiency, and Experience
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The airport city code SUX is Sioux Gateway Airport in Sioux City, Iowa.
Two-letter airport codes were the norm until the increasing number of airports and landing strips necessitated three-letter codes in the 1930s. For many existing airports, an "X" was simply added, creating codes such as LAX and PHX.
In 1988, Sioux City officials appealed to the Federal Aviation Administration to change the airport's code. The FAA offered them GAY, which stands in for Sioux Gateway Airport. The local leaders declined and decided to keep the code SUX.
