A petition calling for Nashville International Airport (BNA) to be renamed Dolly Parton International Airport has gained renewed attention following Dolly Parton’s death.
The petition was launched in January 2025 by two Nashville residents and initially collected around 50,000 signatures. Following news of Parton’s death, roughly 30,000 additional people reportedly signed within hours, bringing the total close to 80,000.
The petition is addressed to Tennessee’s governor and three state representatives, with organisers ending it with the slogan: “We could all be Departin’ from Parton.”
However, renaming a major airport would require an official decision, and no government authority has announced plans to change BNA’s name.
Interestingly, BNA does not stand for Nashville. The code comes from Berry Field Nashville, named after Colonel Harry Berry, who was involved in developing the original airfield in 1937.