Gum Ban Airlifted in Palm Beach

Twenty years of tyranny finally come to an end

Fear not, visitors of Palm Beach International Airport, you're now able to fly and chew gum at the same time.

Thanks to a weak economy and customer demand, gum is now sold at the stores in the airport for the first time in over 20 years.

A gum ban had been in place since 1988 to keep the airport's carpets clean, but now it seems the revenue being lost was outweighing the possibility of a sticky floor.

Paradies Shops, which runs the airport's stores, estimates it will make an additional $225,000 a year now that gum is being sold, meaning the county will rake in a cool $50,000.

Paradies said it's not necessarily all about the money,but about keeping the traveler happy.

"The number one question asked at the airport was: Where's the gum?" Paradies GM Butch Hindle told the Sun-Sentinel.

Airport officials will keep a close eye on the terminals to make sure the gum doesn't make a mess, and will re-ban the gum if they feel it's necessary.

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