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On March 28, 2025, Tampa International Airport’s official X account shared a statement that instantly went viral. The post claimed that the airport, located six miles west of downtown Tampa in Hillsborough County, Florida, was shutting down.
This post sparked conversations among netizens, with many assuming it to be an early April Fools' prank. According to the official statement, Tampa International Airport was announcing its closure, responding to frequent complaints about limited flight destinations. The statement read:
"We’ve heard enough. We’ve had enough. ‘You’re not a real airport, you don’t have flights to my hometown of 13 people!’ Well, guess what? We’re not an airport at ALL anymore".
An article published by the Hindustan Times on March 29, 2025, clarified that Tampa International Airport was not actually shutting down. The publication verified through official airport channels and flight tracking data that operations remained unaffected even after the announcement.
In response to the Hindustan Times’ inquiry, a TPA official shared that the post was only a “satire”, made as a part of their lighthearted social media approach.
"The airport is not closing. The post in reference is satire and part of our fun online social media presence where we regularly use humor with our followers", the official explained.
Tampa International Airport announces that it's the “home for a giant 2-year-old flamingo” and not an airport anymore in their statement
In the March 28, 2025, announcement, Tampa International Airport also declared that the airport would no longer operate as an airport but instead serve as the home of a giant flamingo.
"Effective immediately, we’re no longer an airport. Instead, we’re giving you exactly what you deserve. We’re now just a home for a giant 2-year-old flamingo," the statement read.
The ‘giant flamingo” in question is Phoebe, a 21-foot-tall flamingo sculpture that has been a beloved attraction at TSA since 2022. The sculpture, officially titled “HOME”, was created by American artist Matthew Mazzotta as part of the airport’s public art program.
Located in the central terminal, Phoebe was named through a public contest that received over 65,000 entries.
Tampa International Airport's decision to humorously rebrand itself as the "giant flamingo home" was a playful response to past comments questioning its status as a “real airport.”
"While this may seem sudden, our decision is final. We cannot stand by and be called ‘not a real airport’ when we offer flights to 100 destinations around the world. So, we’re canceling all of them. Forever," the statement read.
As per the Hindustan Times’ report, Tampa International Airport officials have also shared that the post was made in jest, and the airport wouldn't be turning into a "flamingo" sanctuary either.
The goal of their announcement was to draw attention to TPA's services and its public art program that travelers love to click pictures with.
"The goal of this post is to draw attention to TPA and our 100 nonstop destinations plus our public art program (with the flamingo being one of the most iconic)", the official said.
While Tampa International Airport has temporarily closed before due to hurricanes such as Milton, Helene, and Ian, these shutdowns were only for safety assessments and were well-documented.
