SOUTH BURLINGTON – It was already confusing to some residents that the Burlington International Airport (BTV) was located in the city of South Burlington, but things are looking to become even more turbulent as the adjacent city of Burlington has lost the naming rights to the airport. Vermont’s largest airport will now be called Jonesville International Airport (JVT), and it is sure to put some out-of-towners in a holding pattern as they search for their flights.
Burlington has long paid the city of South Burlington a hefty fee to claim naming rights to the airport, but when the contract was up this year an unexpected bidder entered the fray and emerged victorious. The people of the unincorporated community of Jonesville, VT, tired of not being taken seriously just because they don’t technically exist, put together a fund raiser that drew support from the surrounding communities of Richmond, Bolton, and Huntington. With a large last-minute gift from former local Trey Anastasio, Jonesville was able to outbid Burlington at the last minute and rename the airport.
Jonesville residents are pleased with the result, despite possible confusion from people looking for the airport. Burlington mayor Miro Weinberger did not deny the name change, but said he was okay with it, as it would represent a significant financial improvement for the city. The signage will be changed as soon as possible, and many navigation apps have already updated their maps with the new name. One notable exception is the Waze app, which now lists the airport as being located on Burton Island and includes driving directions directly to it.
Image Credits: John.
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