Port Authority out to relaunch Stewart
Mid-hudson region airport has had $37M in upgrades since 2018
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is planning a new incentive program to attract new carriers to Stewart International Airport, along with a marketing campaign that would attract travelers. Those moves, plus the completion of a new Customs and Border Protection inspection station, are intended to “relaunch” Stewart, which was particularly hard hit by the pandemic’s impact on travel.
“As we continue battling the COVID-19 pandemic on the ground, New York state is looking ahead to a post-pandemic future with increasing opportunities for travel, tourism, and economic development,” said
Allegiant, American and Jetblue are listed as carriers serving Stewart, but its website says Jetblue flights are temporarily suspended.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo. “New York Stewart International Airport is an important gateway to the Mid-hudson region, and these incentives, marketing and construction initiatives will market the airport to international and domestic travelers as we begin to see increases in passenger volume.”
Allegiant, American and Jetblue are listed as carriers serving Stewart, but its website says Jetblue flights are temporarily suspended.
Stewart became a popular starting point for European trips by residents throughout the Hudson Valley when low-fare carrier Norwegian Air launched service there in the summer of 2017. But the aircraft it used — Boeing 737 Max — were grounded in March 2019 following two crashes less than five months apart involving Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines flights. The crashes killed a total of 346 people.
By the following autumn, Norwegian had pulled out of Stewart, and in December 2020 it unveiled a plan to downsize. At the end of the month, meanwhile, 737 Max jets were flying again at other carriers after safety upgrades.
With completion of the customs facility, new international flights are likely high on Port Authority officials’ list.
The new Customs and Border Protection facility will be able to process up to 400 passengers an hour. “This will significantly improve the travelers’ experience while also enhancing CBP’S ability to secure our nation’s borders and help keep our citizens safe,” said Marty C. Raybon, the acting director, field operations, for CBP in New York.
The state and the Port Authority together have spent $37 million on improvements since Cuomo first called for expansion and modernization of Stewart in his 2018 State of the State address.