First Family to visit Grand Canyon National Park

Aug 13

First Family to visit Grand Canyon National Park

Air Force One

Good morning friends ~ Although the skies are slightly overcast this morning, we’re not letting it dampen our excitement – company’s coming this Sunday! And very special company it is: none other than President Barack Obama and his family. The local news media is of course “all abuzz” about it, so no need for yours truly to try to rehash things. What I do wish to tell our valued customers is that, depending on what you have planned, your Grand Canyon vacation plans might be affected somewhat by the First Family’s visit.

Of course this isn’t the first time an American President has visited this crown jewel of the National Park system (for a fascinating read on Presidential park visits, read this article by Linda Updike in the Examiner.com). When it does happen, every effort is made to cause as little disruption as possible to people’s enjoyment of the Grand Canyon. For the most part, it works for those of us who stay on the round. What tends to be most impacted by a modern Presidential visit is the airspace in and around the Grand Canyon.

The Obamas will arrive at the Grand Canyon Sunday August 16th in Air Force One (yes, Grand Canyon National Park Airport can handle Air Force One!). Once Air Force One readies for landing, and until the time it takes off, the airspace around Grand Canyon National Park Airport will become highly restricted. This means that Grand Canyon air tours will be somewhat curtailed. For most of the day, this will mean shortening of the normal tour routes. For example, if you have an Imperial/Grand Kingdom Helicopter tour booked, that will be shortened to the 30-minute North Canyon/Majestic tour. If you have a Grand Discovery Airplane tour that may also be shortened. Tours booked for times when AF1 is on approach or preparing for take-off will need to be either rescheduled or as a last resort measure, cancelled.

GrandCanyon.com is in the process of trying to notify all Grand Canyon air tour customers booked for Sunday August 16th about the anticipated changes in their flights. Those of you who didn’t book your Grand Canyon air tours with us but have happened upon this post should call their air tour companies immediately to find out what their alternatives are.

Contact information for Grand Canyon air tour companies based at the Grand Canyon National Park Airport (GCN) at the South Rim is as follows: Grand Canyon Airlines – 928-638-7121; Papillon Helicopters – 928-638-2419; Grand Canyon Helicopters – 928-638-2764; Maverick Helicopters – 928-638-2622; Scenic Airlines – 702-638-3200

Those of you who’ll be around for the President’s visit, be sure to say “hail to the chief” in “grand” style for us!