Paine Field Gets Green Light to Launch Flights on March 4

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Paine Field – Snohomish County Airport (PAE) in Everett, Washington, has been given the green light to launch passenger flights in early March.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gave its approval on Wednesday for the airport to launch its operations. Alaska Airlines will be the first carrier to launch flights out of PAE on March 4, and United will start its operations on March 31. Those two airlines will occupy the two gates in the airport's modern new passenger terminal.

AvGeeks have closely watched the grand opening of the airport's sleek passenger terminal, which was originally slated for early February but was delayed due to regulatory complications during the government shutdown earlier this year. The airport had been waiting for the FAA's approval on a revised environmental assessment.

According to the Associated Press, there are still a few minor regulatory boxes to check before the first airline flights leave from the PAE runway, including $642,000 in fees to be paid to Snohomish County from the private company running the airport and an amended operating certificate from the FAA. But those tasks seem to be largely formalities that will be completed by the deadline.

PAE isn't literally new — it's existed for decades as the place where Boeing builds most of its aircraft, except 737s and some 787s. It has also been used by airlines for aircraft deliveries and maintenance. But only now is it adding commercial flights out of its stylish passenger terminal with a mission to "bring civility back" to flying.