Lamont visits Sikorsky Memorial Airport

Gov. Ned Lamont made an unpublicized visit to Stratford to discuss the future of Bridgeportowned Sikorsky Memorial Airport.

In his first trip to the airport since taking office, Lamont sat down with Bridgeport officials Wednesday for an update on ongoing plans to bring back commercial airline services to Sikorsky.

The trip was the latest “listening session” the governor has had at area airports as the state works to craft a cohesive strategy for air travel.

Lamont sat down with New Haven Mayor Toni Harp for a similar meeting last week. City officials there tried to bolster support for runway expansion at Tweed New Haven Airport. That meeting came a few weeks after Tweed secured a victory in federal court positioning the New Haven airport to extend its runways and possibly attract more airline services.

“The governor wants to listen to everyone when it comes to transportation,” said gubernatorial spokesperson Max Reiss. “That’s why it’s so important to have meetings with airport operators in the state.”

Bridgeport has been trying to set itself up to reconfigure one of Sikorsky’s two runways to accommodate five to eight daily passenger plane flights by 2021.

Mayor Joe Ganim and other city officials tried to win federal approvals necessary for runway improvements in July, but the Federal Aviation Administration required additional safety upgrades at the airport, potentially sinking the city’s plans.

“We didn’t get a firm yes (in July) like we wanted, but we got a path to success over time, so we are traveling on that path,” Ganim said.

He added the city has followed up with the FAA since the ruling and is on track to meet requirements in order to move forward.

Bridgeport officials have also been pursuing state support. Lamont is looking to develop plans for the airport market in the state, which has been dominated by Bradley International Airport.

Late last year, outgoing Gov. Dannel P. Malloy committed the state to spending $7 million to build a new passenger terminal at Sikorsky if it was matched with private money. Lamont inherited that commitment.

Lamont has been supportive of leveraging an airport in south central Connecticut for future transportation plans but hasn’t indicated whether Sikorksy or Tweed New Haven Airport would be better suited as a regional airport.

“He doesn’t want to put a finger on who is in the lead because I don’t think that’s the frame that he views this through,” Reiss said.

Ganim has said in past interviews that he isn’t looking to compete with New Haven’s regional airport, but both airports’ markets overlap, which could undermine their efforts to attract larger airlines to the state.

“I wish and support anything that Tweed wants to do, but I do honestly believe that Sikorsky presents the best opportunity to offer Fairfield County and this part of Connecticut for a substantial and convenient commercial service,” Ganim said.

Tweed officials have said in past interviews that New Haven airport would be the most appropriate fit for a southern Connecticut regional airport, considering its proximity to Fairfield County and Tweed’s existing offerings.