Allegiant jet parked at Stewart gate
STEWART AIRPORT – Passenger traffic at New York Stewart International Airport in May and June, the most recent months reported by the Port Authority, reflect a more than doubling of passengers from the same period last year.
Year to date, Stewart saw a 108.5 percent increase in passengers over 2017. That is attributed to the Norwegian Air service to Europe and enhanced Allegiant Air Ways service to Florida and Myrtle Beach.
Passenger count in the first six months of this year was 306,636, more than double the 147,021 during the same period last year.
Service growth will not stop there, according to New York Stewart Business Development Director Michael Torelli, who reported to the Stewart Airport Commission on Tuesday.
“Upsizing of aircraft with different airlines getting rid of some less fuel-efficient stuff and getting rid of the gas guzzlers and getting into more fuel-efficient aircraft and with that comes an increase in size automatically, so hopefully we will see that in 2019,” Torelli said. “Moving forward different airlines like Allegiant and JetBlue are going to get a different aircraft mix as well as Norwegian; they are looking to get a different aircraft mix as well besides the 737 Max.”
Officials of the airport, the Port Authority and the business community are also meeting with airlines about new and expanded service.
Cargo tonnage flowing through the airport increased by almost 22 percent in the first six months of the year. From January through June 2017, tonnage amounted to 9,320 while in the first six months of this year, tonnage rose to 11,352.
