‘Departin’ from D. Parton’: Petition to Rename Nashville Airport Takes Off

What started as a cheeky idea is suddenly picking up speed — and signatures. Back in January, Nashville-based comedian Lydia Popovich and Dan Dion, owner of the comedy label Goat Song Records, kicked off a Change.org petition to rename Nashville's International Airport (BNA) after none other than Tennessee's beloved icon, Dolly Parton.

In the last three weeks alone, the petition has soared, now approaching 50,000 signatures. And while Dolly herself told The Tennessean it was “probably more of a joke than anything,” the campaign is taking off in a more serious way.

“Dolly's a great Tennessean and great unifier who adds legitimacy to the South because her story resonates with everyone — rich, poor, gay, straight, or whatever your ethnicity or political affiliation is,” Popovich recently shared with the outlet. “All people smile when they talk or think about her — she’s the best of the South. That alone is an achievement deserving of reverence.”

Of course, convincing people to rename a major airport is no small task. But the idea has caught attention, and now even rising stars are jumping on board.

Just last week, country artist Kaitlin Butts — a 2024 Americana Music Award nominee and 2025 member of Opry’s NextStage class — posted an Instagram story supporting the petition with both voice and video.

Beyond catchy slogans like “Departin’ from D. Parton,” the movement aims to tie Dolly’s legacy to something meaningful and lasting for the community. And instead of a full name change, supporters are exploring more doable options — like naming a terminal or part of the airport after her.

According to The Tennessean, Dion and Popovich had been dreaming up this Dolly airport tribute for at least two years. Then, in January, a curveball came their way: Bill HB0217 was introduced in the Tennessee General Assembly, proposing to rename BNA after former President Donald Trump.

The bill — which was filed by Rep. Todd Warner, R-Chapel Hill, before Trump took office, failed in March in the Tennessee House Transportation Committee. It would’ve cost $10 million to make the change.

For context, BNA stands for Berry Field Nashville, named after Col. Harry S. Berry, a World War I veteran who helped establish the airport in 1937. The name officially became Nashville International Airport in 1988.

Still, Dion was quick to point out in The Tennessean that their campaign has nothing to do with politics. “It’s not a political or anti-Trump issue,” he said.

Popovich, who proudly calls herself a “Dolly Parton enthusiast,” knows this kind of change isn’t easy. “Renaming an airport is a crazy, herculean task,” she said. “It honors someone who has been professionally successful, in multiple industries, for over 60 years,” and “instead of waiting for someone to die to celebrate and revere them, (in Parton’s case), we could honor this iconic, legendary and spectacular woman while she’s still living.”

So, would you board a flight from Dolly Parton International? The idea may have started as a joke — but now, people are seriously thinking, “Why not?”