Stewart Business Development Director Michael Torelli, left, and Manager Ed Harrison in front of the
movable partition for international flights
STEWART AIRPORT – Since arriving domestic and international passengers must be segregated at airports, temporary arrangements have been made at Stewart International Airport to separate travelers.
The normal luggage carousels are blocked off by a retractable wall when international flights arrive and domestic passengers coming in at the same time are routed to the far end of the ticket counter area where a makeshift “gate” is located and their luggage is brought out.
Port Authority officials are developing plans to construct an addition on the terminal for international flights, but the $20 million price tag has yet to be approved by the agency’s board. In fact, the Port Authority’s 2018 capital budget does not include the funding.
Stewart Airport Commission Chairman Louis Heimbach wrote to the commissioners urging approval of the funding.
“In the past we could say build it and they will come,” Heimbach said. “They are here,” he said, referring to European flights offered by Norwegian Airlines. “So, it is really critical, a necessity, to have this facility to accommodate these many passengers and give them the same kind of service they would get at the other major metropolitan airports.”
Port Authority officials have said in the past that the money will be made available at the appropriate time, but Stewart leadership would like to have the facility up and running in under two years.
