NEW WINDSOR – The number of people to use Stewart Airport for commercial flights has dropped by more than a third during the first eight months of the year, dropping from 309,357 people in 2014 to 191,109 so far this year.
At the same time, cargo tonnage carried through the airport is up from 9,746 tons from January through August 2014 to 10,412 tons during the same period this year.
Airport Economic Development Director Michael Torelli told the Stewart Airport Commission on Tuesday that they hope to meet last year’s passenger numbers by the end of 2015.
“In July and August you always get a little uptick and in September you get a little downtick and then it remains flat or slightly increasing through the end of the year,” Torelli said. “We are looking for that same trend to continue along those lines and we are hoping to approach last year’s numbers, but it is going to be very close. We are going to have to pick up the slack in September, October, November and December if we want to reach 2014 numbers for passengers. This is a direct effect to the available seats that we have on the four airlines that serve the airport.”
Torelli told commission members that with the holiday season fast approaching, they expect more cargo to pass through the airport. Additionally, they are starting to see more international cargo pass through Stewart, and a new cargo carrier, Caribe South Airways, is expected to start up shortly, shipping fresh fruits and vegetables from the Caribbean, he said.
