WHITE PLAINS – A formal agreement dating back to 1985 provides that for commercial airline flights of over nine passengers, no more than 240 passengers may depart and no more than 240 may arrive per half-hour period at Westchester County Airport.
A proposal advanced by the county administration would change the half-hour limit to a per day limit, so 11,520 passengers could arrive and the same number could depart per day.
Legislator David Gelfarb has concerns about changing the flight levels.
“I am concerned about an increase in the number of flights,” Gelfarb said. “I am concerned about an impact on the environment as well as the possibility of this impacting the entire deal, called the terminal use agreement, which limits airport operations. You need to make a case to the FAA any time you want to make a change to this TUA and this strong case has to be made before we can even address the potential of changing it.”
Debate has been ongoing in legislative committees and Gelfarb speculates that in the end, the full Board of Legislators would not approve of the flight formula change.
