Buffalo Niagara International Airport
Encyclopedia
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
located in Cheektowaga CDP
, Town of Cheektowaga
, in Erie County, New York
, USA
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
as well as Southern
Ontario
, Canada
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
, and the third busiest in New York State
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
.
-built Art Deco
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
at Wembley Stadium
as part of the NFL International Series
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Delaware North Co.
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
, United Airlines
, and Eastern Air Lines
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
operated Lockheed L-1011
s and Airbus A300
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
or their visiting National Football League
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
and Columbus, Ohio
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
located in Cheektowaga CDP
, Town of Cheektowaga
, in Erie County, New York
, USA
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
as well as Southern
Ontario
, Canada
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
, and the third busiest in New York State
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
.
-built Art Deco
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
at Wembley Stadium
as part of the NFL International Series
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Delaware North Co.
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
, United Airlines
, and Eastern Air Lines
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
operated Lockheed L-1011
s and Airbus A300
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
or their visiting National Football League
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
and Columbus, Ohio
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
located in Cheektowaga CDP
, Town of Cheektowaga
, in Erie County, New York
, USA
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
as well as Southern
Ontario
, Canada
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
, and the third busiest in New York State
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
.
-built Art Deco
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
at Wembley Stadium
as part of the NFL International Series
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Delaware North Co.
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
, United Airlines
, and Eastern Air Lines
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
operated Lockheed L-1011
s and Airbus A300
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
or their visiting National Football League
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
and Columbus, Ohio
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
located in Cheektowaga CDP
, Town of Cheektowaga
, in Erie County, New York
, USA
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
as well as Southern
Ontario
, Canada
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
, and the third busiest in New York State
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
.
-built Art Deco
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
at Wembley Stadium
as part of the NFL International Series
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Delaware North Co.
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
, United Airlines
, and Eastern Air Lines
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
operated Lockheed L-1011
s and Airbus A300
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
or their visiting National Football League
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
and Columbus, Ohio
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
located in Cheektowaga CDP
, Town of Cheektowaga
, in Erie County, New York
, USA
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
as well as Southern
Ontario
, Canada
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
, and the third busiest in New York State
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
.
-built Art Deco
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
at Wembley Stadium
as part of the NFL International Series
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Delaware North Co.
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
, United Airlines
, and Eastern Air Lines
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
operated Lockheed L-1011
s and Airbus A300
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
or their visiting National Football League
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
and Columbus, Ohio
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
located in Cheektowaga CDP
, Town of Cheektowaga
, in Erie County, New York
, USA
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
as well as Southern
Ontario
, Canada
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
, and the third busiest in New York State
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
.
-built Art Deco
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
at Wembley Stadium
as part of the NFL International Series
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Delaware North Co.
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
, United Airlines
, and Eastern Air Lines
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
operated Lockheed L-1011
s and Airbus A300
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
or their visiting National Football League
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
and Columbus, Ohio
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
located in Cheektowaga CDP
, Town of Cheektowaga
, in Erie County, New York
, USA
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
as well as Southern
Ontario
, Canada
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
, and the third busiest in New York State
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
.
-built Art Deco
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
at Wembley Stadium
as part of the NFL International Series
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Delaware North Co.
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
, United Airlines
, and Eastern Air Lines
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
operated Lockheed L-1011
s and Airbus A300
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
or their visiting National Football League
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
and Columbus, Ohio
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
located in Cheektowaga CDP
, Town of Cheektowaga
, in Erie County, New York
, USA
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
as well as Southern
Ontario
, Canada
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
, and the third busiest in New York State
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
.
-built Art Deco
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
at Wembley Stadium
as part of the NFL International Series
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Delaware North Co.
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
, United Airlines
, and Eastern Air Lines
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
operated Lockheed L-1011
s and Airbus A300
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
or their visiting National Football League
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
and Columbus, Ohio
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
located in Cheektowaga CDP
, Town of Cheektowaga
, in Erie County, New York
, USA
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
as well as Southern
Ontario
, Canada
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
, and the third busiest in New York State
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
.
-built Art Deco
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
at Wembley Stadium
as part of the NFL International Series
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Delaware North Co.
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
, United Airlines
, and Eastern Air Lines
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
operated Lockheed L-1011
s and Airbus A300
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
or their visiting National Football League
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
and Columbus, Ohio
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
's Golden Horseshoe
region makes it a very popular airport for Canadians traveling to U.S. destinations. In fact, about one of every three passengers utilizing the airport is from Canada. Airfares from Canadian airports to the U.S. are generally higher due to multiple issues, including fewer competing airlines in Canada; higher taxes, customs and immigration surcharges imposed on international flights; higher operating costs; a higher than historic value of the Canadian dollar
; and airport improvement fees
imposed on travelers at Canadian airports. There are many shuttles between the airport and cities throughout Southern Ontario, as well as to Toronto Pearson International Airport
in Toronto
.
Total Aeronautical Operating Revenue:
2009-26.2 Million
2008-22.3 Million
2007-21.6 Million
2006-21.4 Million
2005-17.9 Million
Annual Aircraft Operations:
2009-132.6 Thousand
2008-138.5 Thousand
2007-137.6 Thousand
2006-132.8 Thousand
2005-136.9 Thousand
and Kensington Expressway. The latter highway ends at the airport.
Various limos, taxis, shuttle buses and buses have access to and from the airport. Greyhound Bus Lines and NFTA Metro buses (Routes 24B (Genesee), 68 (George Urban) and 204 (Airport-Downtown Express). Route 210 Airport Niagara Falls Express operates from May to October only. NFTA Metro Paratransit offers services to the airport for people with mobility issues, but pre-booking is required. Buses and limos from Canada also provides transportation to and from the airport.
Engine 7 (crash-fire-rescue unit) until 1981 and was transferred over to the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
.
The BNIAFD has six pieces of apparatus:
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located in Cheektowaga CDP
Cheektowaga (CDP), New York
----Cheektowaga is a suburban community in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 79,988 at the 2000 census. It is within the town of Cheektowaga...
, Town of Cheektowaga
Cheektowaga (town), New York
Cheektowaga is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 94,019. The name comes from the Iroquoian word Ji-ik-do-wa-gah, meaning the place of the crab apple tree...
, in Erie County, New York
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
as well as Southern
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
, and the third busiest in New York State
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
.
History
The Buffalo Municipal Airport (as it was then known) opened in 1926 on former farmland, making it one of the oldest public airports in the country. The first passenger service, to Cleveland, began in 1927. A WPAWorks Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
-built Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
Jetway
A jet bridge is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside...
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates , an architectural firm responsible for several world-renowned buildings, provides architectural, interior and urban design as well as programming and master planning services for clients in both the public and private sectors...
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
as part of the NFL International Series
NFL International Series
Beginning with the 2005 season, the National Football League has hosted regular season American football games held outside the United States in a series known as the International Series.-Background:...
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
Tim Russert
Timothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
Curtiss-Wright
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder is a Buffalo, New York businessman and former owner of the Buffalo Braves basketball team.He founded the Freezer Queen frozen food company in Buffalo in 1958 and founded the Darien Lake theme park after purhcasing of land in Genesee County, New York in 1964.He was the first owner of...
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Shops and restaurants
Currently, there are 9 shops and restaurants in the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport plus vending machines and Wings To Go. The Anchor Bar, Everything ASAP, Monarch Newsstand & Gift Shop, Blue Zone, The Coffee Beanery, Jake's Bistro & News, Lake Erie Grille, Landmark Bar and Carvery and Matties Texas Red Hots are among these shops and restaurants.Delaware North Co.
Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is a global food service and hospitality company headquartered in Buffalo, New York The company operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gaming and entertainment industries. The company employs over 50,000 people worldwide and has over $2 billion in annual revenues...
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar is a restaurant located in Buffalo, New York which was the birthplace of spicy chicken wings, known outside the Buffalo area as Buffalo wings. The restaurant was initially established in 1935. Teressa Bellissimo is credited with the creation of the dish when she deep-fried some wings and...
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
Service history
When the Federal Government deregulated the airline industry in 1978, Buffalo was served by four airlines: three "trunk carriers" (American AirlinesAmerican Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, and Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines was an airline operating out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, from 1952 to 1979. It was a forerunner of today’s US Airways. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia....
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
operated Lockheed L-1011
Lockheed L-1011
The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed...
s and Airbus A300
Airbus A300
The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
or their visiting National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines was formed from a merger of Arizona Airways, Challenger Airlines, and Monarch Airlines on June 1, 1950. They established their headquarters at Stapleton Airport in Denver. However, the airline dated itself to November 27, 1946, when Monarch Airlines began service in Colorado,...
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
- TWATwaThe Twa are any of several hunting peoples of Africa who live interdependently with agricultural Bantu populations, and generally hold a socially subordinate position: They provide the farming population with game in exchange for agricultural products....
(Trans World Airlines), which served Buffalo briefly around 1979-1981 during a short-lived experiment running a hub in Pittsburgh. - Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines was an airline formed on July 1, 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines, Southern Airways, and Hughes Airwest. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Minneapolis-St...
, a Minneapolis-based carrier which ran flights from Buffalo to its hub at Detroit starting in 1984 and which was bought by Northwest AirlinesNorthwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
in 1987; - Empire Airlines (1976-1985)Empire Airlines (1976-1985)-Overview:Empire Airlines was a regional airline serving the Northeastern United States beginning in 1976. In 1985, the airline was purchased by Piedmont Airlines, which itself was later purchased by USAir and whose name now lives on in the US Airways Express network.Founded by Paul Quackenbush,...
, a regional carrier based in UticaUtica, New YorkUtica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
which built a hub at Syracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located northeast of Syracuse, in Onondaga County, New York, off of Interstate 81 near Mattydale, New York. The main terminal complex is located at the eastern end of Colonel Eileen Collins Boulevard.-History:In 1927...
after deregulation and ran regional jet and turboprop flights within the Northeast; - Mall AirwaysMall AirwaysrightMall Airways was an American regional airline which operated throughout the northeastern United States and eastern Canada from 1973 to 1989. The carrier operated a mixed fleet of Beechcraft 1900, Piper Navajo Chieftains, Beech 99 Airliners, and also occasionally utilized a Beech King Air 90 as...
, a small regional carrier based at Albany International AirportAlbany International AirportAlbany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....
, operated flights from Buffalo to their Albany hub in the mid-1980s. - Piedmont AirlinesPiedmont AirlinesPiedmont Airlines is an American regional airline operating for US Airways Express. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US Airways Group, headquartered in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland, near the city of Salisbury, it conducts flight operations using De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft...
, a pre-Deregulation local service carrier from North Carolina which built a hub at Baltimore-Washington International Airport after Deregulation and ran flights to the Northeast, Southeast, and Florida, and was bought by USAir in 1987 and merged into them in 1989.
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
Low fare service
Upstate New YorkUpstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
Charles Schumer
Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a...
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
The Southwest effect
The Southwest Effect is the increase in airline travel originating from a community after service to and from that community is inaugurated by Southwest Airlines or another airline that improves service or lowers cost.-Lower fares increase demand:...
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located in Cheektowaga CDP
Cheektowaga (CDP), New York
----Cheektowaga is a suburban community in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 79,988 at the 2000 census. It is within the town of Cheektowaga...
, Town of Cheektowaga
Cheektowaga (town), New York
Cheektowaga is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 94,019. The name comes from the Iroquoian word Ji-ik-do-wa-gah, meaning the place of the crab apple tree...
, in Erie County, New York
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
as well as Southern
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
, and the third busiest in New York State
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
.
History
The Buffalo Municipal Airport (as it was then known) opened in 1926 on former farmland, making it one of the oldest public airports in the country. The first passenger service, to Cleveland, began in 1927. A WPAWorks Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
-built Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
Jetway
A jet bridge is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside...
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates , an architectural firm responsible for several world-renowned buildings, provides architectural, interior and urban design as well as programming and master planning services for clients in both the public and private sectors...
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
as part of the NFL International Series
NFL International Series
Beginning with the 2005 season, the National Football League has hosted regular season American football games held outside the United States in a series known as the International Series.-Background:...
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
Tim Russert
Timothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
Curtiss-Wright
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder is a Buffalo, New York businessman and former owner of the Buffalo Braves basketball team.He founded the Freezer Queen frozen food company in Buffalo in 1958 and founded the Darien Lake theme park after purhcasing of land in Genesee County, New York in 1964.He was the first owner of...
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Shops and restaurants
Currently, there are 9 shops and restaurants in the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport plus vending machines and Wings To Go. The Anchor Bar, Everything ASAP, Monarch Newsstand & Gift Shop, Blue Zone, The Coffee Beanery, Jake's Bistro & News, Lake Erie Grille, Landmark Bar and Carvery and Matties Texas Red Hots are among these shops and restaurants.Delaware North Co.
Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is a global food service and hospitality company headquartered in Buffalo, New York The company operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gaming and entertainment industries. The company employs over 50,000 people worldwide and has over $2 billion in annual revenues...
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar is a restaurant located in Buffalo, New York which was the birthplace of spicy chicken wings, known outside the Buffalo area as Buffalo wings. The restaurant was initially established in 1935. Teressa Bellissimo is credited with the creation of the dish when she deep-fried some wings and...
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
Service history
When the Federal Government deregulated the airline industry in 1978, Buffalo was served by four airlines: three "trunk carriers" (American AirlinesAmerican Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, and Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines was an airline operating out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, from 1952 to 1979. It was a forerunner of today’s US Airways. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia....
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
operated Lockheed L-1011
Lockheed L-1011
The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed...
s and Airbus A300
Airbus A300
The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
or their visiting National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines was formed from a merger of Arizona Airways, Challenger Airlines, and Monarch Airlines on June 1, 1950. They established their headquarters at Stapleton Airport in Denver. However, the airline dated itself to November 27, 1946, when Monarch Airlines began service in Colorado,...
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
- TWATwaThe Twa are any of several hunting peoples of Africa who live interdependently with agricultural Bantu populations, and generally hold a socially subordinate position: They provide the farming population with game in exchange for agricultural products....
(Trans World Airlines), which served Buffalo briefly around 1979-1981 during a short-lived experiment running a hub in Pittsburgh. - Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines was an airline formed on July 1, 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines, Southern Airways, and Hughes Airwest. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Minneapolis-St...
, a Minneapolis-based carrier which ran flights from Buffalo to its hub at Detroit starting in 1984 and which was bought by Northwest AirlinesNorthwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
in 1987; - Empire Airlines (1976-1985)Empire Airlines (1976-1985)-Overview:Empire Airlines was a regional airline serving the Northeastern United States beginning in 1976. In 1985, the airline was purchased by Piedmont Airlines, which itself was later purchased by USAir and whose name now lives on in the US Airways Express network.Founded by Paul Quackenbush,...
, a regional carrier based in UticaUtica, New YorkUtica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
which built a hub at Syracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located northeast of Syracuse, in Onondaga County, New York, off of Interstate 81 near Mattydale, New York. The main terminal complex is located at the eastern end of Colonel Eileen Collins Boulevard.-History:In 1927...
after deregulation and ran regional jet and turboprop flights within the Northeast; - Mall AirwaysMall AirwaysrightMall Airways was an American regional airline which operated throughout the northeastern United States and eastern Canada from 1973 to 1989. The carrier operated a mixed fleet of Beechcraft 1900, Piper Navajo Chieftains, Beech 99 Airliners, and also occasionally utilized a Beech King Air 90 as...
, a small regional carrier based at Albany International AirportAlbany International AirportAlbany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....
, operated flights from Buffalo to their Albany hub in the mid-1980s. - Piedmont AirlinesPiedmont AirlinesPiedmont Airlines is an American regional airline operating for US Airways Express. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US Airways Group, headquartered in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland, near the city of Salisbury, it conducts flight operations using De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft...
, a pre-Deregulation local service carrier from North Carolina which built a hub at Baltimore-Washington International Airport after Deregulation and ran flights to the Northeast, Southeast, and Florida, and was bought by USAir in 1987 and merged into them in 1989.
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
Low fare service
Upstate New YorkUpstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
Charles Schumer
Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a...
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
The Southwest effect
The Southwest Effect is the increase in airline travel originating from a community after service to and from that community is inaugurated by Southwest Airlines or another airline that improves service or lowers cost.-Lower fares increase demand:...
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located in Cheektowaga CDP
Cheektowaga (CDP), New York
----Cheektowaga is a suburban community in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 79,988 at the 2000 census. It is within the town of Cheektowaga...
, Town of Cheektowaga
Cheektowaga (town), New York
Cheektowaga is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 94,019. The name comes from the Iroquoian word Ji-ik-do-wa-gah, meaning the place of the crab apple tree...
, in Erie County, New York
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
as well as Southern
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
, and the third busiest in New York State
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
.
History
The Buffalo Municipal Airport (as it was then known) opened in 1926 on former farmland, making it one of the oldest public airports in the country. The first passenger service, to Cleveland, began in 1927. A WPAWorks Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
-built Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
Jetway
A jet bridge is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside...
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates , an architectural firm responsible for several world-renowned buildings, provides architectural, interior and urban design as well as programming and master planning services for clients in both the public and private sectors...
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
as part of the NFL International Series
NFL International Series
Beginning with the 2005 season, the National Football League has hosted regular season American football games held outside the United States in a series known as the International Series.-Background:...
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
Tim Russert
Timothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
Curtiss-Wright
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder is a Buffalo, New York businessman and former owner of the Buffalo Braves basketball team.He founded the Freezer Queen frozen food company in Buffalo in 1958 and founded the Darien Lake theme park after purhcasing of land in Genesee County, New York in 1964.He was the first owner of...
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Shops and restaurants
Currently, there are 9 shops and restaurants in the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport plus vending machines and Wings To Go. The Anchor Bar, Everything ASAP, Monarch Newsstand & Gift Shop, Blue Zone, The Coffee Beanery, Jake's Bistro & News, Lake Erie Grille, Landmark Bar and Carvery and Matties Texas Red Hots are among these shops and restaurants.Delaware North Co.
Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is a global food service and hospitality company headquartered in Buffalo, New York The company operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gaming and entertainment industries. The company employs over 50,000 people worldwide and has over $2 billion in annual revenues...
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar is a restaurant located in Buffalo, New York which was the birthplace of spicy chicken wings, known outside the Buffalo area as Buffalo wings. The restaurant was initially established in 1935. Teressa Bellissimo is credited with the creation of the dish when she deep-fried some wings and...
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
Service history
When the Federal Government deregulated the airline industry in 1978, Buffalo was served by four airlines: three "trunk carriers" (American AirlinesAmerican Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, and Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines was an airline operating out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, from 1952 to 1979. It was a forerunner of today’s US Airways. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia....
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
operated Lockheed L-1011
Lockheed L-1011
The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed...
s and Airbus A300
Airbus A300
The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
or their visiting National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines was formed from a merger of Arizona Airways, Challenger Airlines, and Monarch Airlines on June 1, 1950. They established their headquarters at Stapleton Airport in Denver. However, the airline dated itself to November 27, 1946, when Monarch Airlines began service in Colorado,...
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
- TWATwaThe Twa are any of several hunting peoples of Africa who live interdependently with agricultural Bantu populations, and generally hold a socially subordinate position: They provide the farming population with game in exchange for agricultural products....
(Trans World Airlines), which served Buffalo briefly around 1979-1981 during a short-lived experiment running a hub in Pittsburgh. - Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines was an airline formed on July 1, 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines, Southern Airways, and Hughes Airwest. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Minneapolis-St...
, a Minneapolis-based carrier which ran flights from Buffalo to its hub at Detroit starting in 1984 and which was bought by Northwest AirlinesNorthwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
in 1987; - Empire Airlines (1976-1985)Empire Airlines (1976-1985)-Overview:Empire Airlines was a regional airline serving the Northeastern United States beginning in 1976. In 1985, the airline was purchased by Piedmont Airlines, which itself was later purchased by USAir and whose name now lives on in the US Airways Express network.Founded by Paul Quackenbush,...
, a regional carrier based in UticaUtica, New YorkUtica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
which built a hub at Syracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located northeast of Syracuse, in Onondaga County, New York, off of Interstate 81 near Mattydale, New York. The main terminal complex is located at the eastern end of Colonel Eileen Collins Boulevard.-History:In 1927...
after deregulation and ran regional jet and turboprop flights within the Northeast; - Mall AirwaysMall AirwaysrightMall Airways was an American regional airline which operated throughout the northeastern United States and eastern Canada from 1973 to 1989. The carrier operated a mixed fleet of Beechcraft 1900, Piper Navajo Chieftains, Beech 99 Airliners, and also occasionally utilized a Beech King Air 90 as...
, a small regional carrier based at Albany International AirportAlbany International AirportAlbany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....
, operated flights from Buffalo to their Albany hub in the mid-1980s. - Piedmont AirlinesPiedmont AirlinesPiedmont Airlines is an American regional airline operating for US Airways Express. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US Airways Group, headquartered in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland, near the city of Salisbury, it conducts flight operations using De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft...
, a pre-Deregulation local service carrier from North Carolina which built a hub at Baltimore-Washington International Airport after Deregulation and ran flights to the Northeast, Southeast, and Florida, and was bought by USAir in 1987 and merged into them in 1989.
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
Low fare service
Upstate New YorkUpstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
Charles Schumer
Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a...
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
The Southwest effect
The Southwest Effect is the increase in airline travel originating from a community after service to and from that community is inaugurated by Southwest Airlines or another airline that improves service or lowers cost.-Lower fares increase demand:...
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located in Cheektowaga CDP
Cheektowaga (CDP), New York
----Cheektowaga is a suburban community in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 79,988 at the 2000 census. It is within the town of Cheektowaga...
, Town of Cheektowaga
Cheektowaga (town), New York
Cheektowaga is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 94,019. The name comes from the Iroquoian word Ji-ik-do-wa-gah, meaning the place of the crab apple tree...
, in Erie County, New York
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
as well as Southern
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
, and the third busiest in New York State
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
.
History
The Buffalo Municipal Airport (as it was then known) opened in 1926 on former farmland, making it one of the oldest public airports in the country. The first passenger service, to Cleveland, began in 1927. A WPAWorks Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
-built Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
Jetway
A jet bridge is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside...
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates , an architectural firm responsible for several world-renowned buildings, provides architectural, interior and urban design as well as programming and master planning services for clients in both the public and private sectors...
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
as part of the NFL International Series
NFL International Series
Beginning with the 2005 season, the National Football League has hosted regular season American football games held outside the United States in a series known as the International Series.-Background:...
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
Tim Russert
Timothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
Curtiss-Wright
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder is a Buffalo, New York businessman and former owner of the Buffalo Braves basketball team.He founded the Freezer Queen frozen food company in Buffalo in 1958 and founded the Darien Lake theme park after purhcasing of land in Genesee County, New York in 1964.He was the first owner of...
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Shops and restaurants
Currently, there are 9 shops and restaurants in the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport plus vending machines and Wings To Go. The Anchor Bar, Everything ASAP, Monarch Newsstand & Gift Shop, Blue Zone, The Coffee Beanery, Jake's Bistro & News, Lake Erie Grille, Landmark Bar and Carvery and Matties Texas Red Hots are among these shops and restaurants.Delaware North Co.
Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is a global food service and hospitality company headquartered in Buffalo, New York The company operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gaming and entertainment industries. The company employs over 50,000 people worldwide and has over $2 billion in annual revenues...
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar is a restaurant located in Buffalo, New York which was the birthplace of spicy chicken wings, known outside the Buffalo area as Buffalo wings. The restaurant was initially established in 1935. Teressa Bellissimo is credited with the creation of the dish when she deep-fried some wings and...
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
Service history
When the Federal Government deregulated the airline industry in 1978, Buffalo was served by four airlines: three "trunk carriers" (American AirlinesAmerican Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, and Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines was an airline operating out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, from 1952 to 1979. It was a forerunner of today’s US Airways. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia....
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
operated Lockheed L-1011
Lockheed L-1011
The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed...
s and Airbus A300
Airbus A300
The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
or their visiting National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines was formed from a merger of Arizona Airways, Challenger Airlines, and Monarch Airlines on June 1, 1950. They established their headquarters at Stapleton Airport in Denver. However, the airline dated itself to November 27, 1946, when Monarch Airlines began service in Colorado,...
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
- TWATwaThe Twa are any of several hunting peoples of Africa who live interdependently with agricultural Bantu populations, and generally hold a socially subordinate position: They provide the farming population with game in exchange for agricultural products....
(Trans World Airlines), which served Buffalo briefly around 1979-1981 during a short-lived experiment running a hub in Pittsburgh. - Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines was an airline formed on July 1, 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines, Southern Airways, and Hughes Airwest. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Minneapolis-St...
, a Minneapolis-based carrier which ran flights from Buffalo to its hub at Detroit starting in 1984 and which was bought by Northwest AirlinesNorthwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
in 1987; - Empire Airlines (1976-1985)Empire Airlines (1976-1985)-Overview:Empire Airlines was a regional airline serving the Northeastern United States beginning in 1976. In 1985, the airline was purchased by Piedmont Airlines, which itself was later purchased by USAir and whose name now lives on in the US Airways Express network.Founded by Paul Quackenbush,...
, a regional carrier based in UticaUtica, New YorkUtica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
which built a hub at Syracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located northeast of Syracuse, in Onondaga County, New York, off of Interstate 81 near Mattydale, New York. The main terminal complex is located at the eastern end of Colonel Eileen Collins Boulevard.-History:In 1927...
after deregulation and ran regional jet and turboprop flights within the Northeast; - Mall AirwaysMall AirwaysrightMall Airways was an American regional airline which operated throughout the northeastern United States and eastern Canada from 1973 to 1989. The carrier operated a mixed fleet of Beechcraft 1900, Piper Navajo Chieftains, Beech 99 Airliners, and also occasionally utilized a Beech King Air 90 as...
, a small regional carrier based at Albany International AirportAlbany International AirportAlbany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....
, operated flights from Buffalo to their Albany hub in the mid-1980s. - Piedmont AirlinesPiedmont AirlinesPiedmont Airlines is an American regional airline operating for US Airways Express. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US Airways Group, headquartered in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland, near the city of Salisbury, it conducts flight operations using De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft...
, a pre-Deregulation local service carrier from North Carolina which built a hub at Baltimore-Washington International Airport after Deregulation and ran flights to the Northeast, Southeast, and Florida, and was bought by USAir in 1987 and merged into them in 1989.
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
Low fare service
Upstate New YorkUpstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
Charles Schumer
Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a...
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
The Southwest effect
The Southwest Effect is the increase in airline travel originating from a community after service to and from that community is inaugurated by Southwest Airlines or another airline that improves service or lowers cost.-Lower fares increase demand:...
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located in Cheektowaga CDP
Cheektowaga (CDP), New York
----Cheektowaga is a suburban community in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 79,988 at the 2000 census. It is within the town of Cheektowaga...
, Town of Cheektowaga
Cheektowaga (town), New York
Cheektowaga is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 94,019. The name comes from the Iroquoian word Ji-ik-do-wa-gah, meaning the place of the crab apple tree...
, in Erie County, New York
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
as well as Southern
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
, and the third busiest in New York State
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
.
History
The Buffalo Municipal Airport (as it was then known) opened in 1926 on former farmland, making it one of the oldest public airports in the country. The first passenger service, to Cleveland, began in 1927. A WPAWorks Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
-built Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
Jetway
A jet bridge is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside...
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates , an architectural firm responsible for several world-renowned buildings, provides architectural, interior and urban design as well as programming and master planning services for clients in both the public and private sectors...
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
as part of the NFL International Series
NFL International Series
Beginning with the 2005 season, the National Football League has hosted regular season American football games held outside the United States in a series known as the International Series.-Background:...
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
Tim Russert
Timothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
Curtiss-Wright
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder is a Buffalo, New York businessman and former owner of the Buffalo Braves basketball team.He founded the Freezer Queen frozen food company in Buffalo in 1958 and founded the Darien Lake theme park after purhcasing of land in Genesee County, New York in 1964.He was the first owner of...
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Shops and restaurants
Currently, there are 9 shops and restaurants in the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport plus vending machines and Wings To Go. The Anchor Bar, Everything ASAP, Monarch Newsstand & Gift Shop, Blue Zone, The Coffee Beanery, Jake's Bistro & News, Lake Erie Grille, Landmark Bar and Carvery and Matties Texas Red Hots are among these shops and restaurants.Delaware North Co.
Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is a global food service and hospitality company headquartered in Buffalo, New York The company operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gaming and entertainment industries. The company employs over 50,000 people worldwide and has over $2 billion in annual revenues...
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar is a restaurant located in Buffalo, New York which was the birthplace of spicy chicken wings, known outside the Buffalo area as Buffalo wings. The restaurant was initially established in 1935. Teressa Bellissimo is credited with the creation of the dish when she deep-fried some wings and...
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
Service history
When the Federal Government deregulated the airline industry in 1978, Buffalo was served by four airlines: three "trunk carriers" (American AirlinesAmerican Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, and Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines was an airline operating out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, from 1952 to 1979. It was a forerunner of today’s US Airways. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia....
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
operated Lockheed L-1011
Lockheed L-1011
The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed...
s and Airbus A300
Airbus A300
The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
or their visiting National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines was formed from a merger of Arizona Airways, Challenger Airlines, and Monarch Airlines on June 1, 1950. They established their headquarters at Stapleton Airport in Denver. However, the airline dated itself to November 27, 1946, when Monarch Airlines began service in Colorado,...
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
- TWATwaThe Twa are any of several hunting peoples of Africa who live interdependently with agricultural Bantu populations, and generally hold a socially subordinate position: They provide the farming population with game in exchange for agricultural products....
(Trans World Airlines), which served Buffalo briefly around 1979-1981 during a short-lived experiment running a hub in Pittsburgh. - Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines was an airline formed on July 1, 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines, Southern Airways, and Hughes Airwest. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Minneapolis-St...
, a Minneapolis-based carrier which ran flights from Buffalo to its hub at Detroit starting in 1984 and which was bought by Northwest AirlinesNorthwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
in 1987; - Empire Airlines (1976-1985)Empire Airlines (1976-1985)-Overview:Empire Airlines was a regional airline serving the Northeastern United States beginning in 1976. In 1985, the airline was purchased by Piedmont Airlines, which itself was later purchased by USAir and whose name now lives on in the US Airways Express network.Founded by Paul Quackenbush,...
, a regional carrier based in UticaUtica, New YorkUtica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
which built a hub at Syracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located northeast of Syracuse, in Onondaga County, New York, off of Interstate 81 near Mattydale, New York. The main terminal complex is located at the eastern end of Colonel Eileen Collins Boulevard.-History:In 1927...
after deregulation and ran regional jet and turboprop flights within the Northeast; - Mall AirwaysMall AirwaysrightMall Airways was an American regional airline which operated throughout the northeastern United States and eastern Canada from 1973 to 1989. The carrier operated a mixed fleet of Beechcraft 1900, Piper Navajo Chieftains, Beech 99 Airliners, and also occasionally utilized a Beech King Air 90 as...
, a small regional carrier based at Albany International AirportAlbany International AirportAlbany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....
, operated flights from Buffalo to their Albany hub in the mid-1980s. - Piedmont AirlinesPiedmont AirlinesPiedmont Airlines is an American regional airline operating for US Airways Express. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US Airways Group, headquartered in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland, near the city of Salisbury, it conducts flight operations using De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft...
, a pre-Deregulation local service carrier from North Carolina which built a hub at Baltimore-Washington International Airport after Deregulation and ran flights to the Northeast, Southeast, and Florida, and was bought by USAir in 1987 and merged into them in 1989.
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
Low fare service
Upstate New YorkUpstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
Charles Schumer
Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a...
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
The Southwest effect
The Southwest Effect is the increase in airline travel originating from a community after service to and from that community is inaugurated by Southwest Airlines or another airline that improves service or lowers cost.-Lower fares increase demand:...
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located in Cheektowaga CDP
Cheektowaga (CDP), New York
----Cheektowaga is a suburban community in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 79,988 at the 2000 census. It is within the town of Cheektowaga...
, Town of Cheektowaga
Cheektowaga (town), New York
Cheektowaga is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 94,019. The name comes from the Iroquoian word Ji-ik-do-wa-gah, meaning the place of the crab apple tree...
, in Erie County, New York
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
as well as Southern
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
, and the third busiest in New York State
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
.
History
The Buffalo Municipal Airport (as it was then known) opened in 1926 on former farmland, making it one of the oldest public airports in the country. The first passenger service, to Cleveland, began in 1927. A WPAWorks Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
-built Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
Jetway
A jet bridge is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside...
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates , an architectural firm responsible for several world-renowned buildings, provides architectural, interior and urban design as well as programming and master planning services for clients in both the public and private sectors...
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
as part of the NFL International Series
NFL International Series
Beginning with the 2005 season, the National Football League has hosted regular season American football games held outside the United States in a series known as the International Series.-Background:...
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
Tim Russert
Timothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
Curtiss-Wright
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder is a Buffalo, New York businessman and former owner of the Buffalo Braves basketball team.He founded the Freezer Queen frozen food company in Buffalo in 1958 and founded the Darien Lake theme park after purhcasing of land in Genesee County, New York in 1964.He was the first owner of...
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Shops and restaurants
Currently, there are 9 shops and restaurants in the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport plus vending machines and Wings To Go. The Anchor Bar, Everything ASAP, Monarch Newsstand & Gift Shop, Blue Zone, The Coffee Beanery, Jake's Bistro & News, Lake Erie Grille, Landmark Bar and Carvery and Matties Texas Red Hots are among these shops and restaurants.Delaware North Co.
Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is a global food service and hospitality company headquartered in Buffalo, New York The company operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gaming and entertainment industries. The company employs over 50,000 people worldwide and has over $2 billion in annual revenues...
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar is a restaurant located in Buffalo, New York which was the birthplace of spicy chicken wings, known outside the Buffalo area as Buffalo wings. The restaurant was initially established in 1935. Teressa Bellissimo is credited with the creation of the dish when she deep-fried some wings and...
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
Service history
When the Federal Government deregulated the airline industry in 1978, Buffalo was served by four airlines: three "trunk carriers" (American AirlinesAmerican Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, and Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines was an airline operating out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, from 1952 to 1979. It was a forerunner of today’s US Airways. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia....
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
operated Lockheed L-1011
Lockheed L-1011
The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed...
s and Airbus A300
Airbus A300
The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
or their visiting National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines was formed from a merger of Arizona Airways, Challenger Airlines, and Monarch Airlines on June 1, 1950. They established their headquarters at Stapleton Airport in Denver. However, the airline dated itself to November 27, 1946, when Monarch Airlines began service in Colorado,...
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
- TWATwaThe Twa are any of several hunting peoples of Africa who live interdependently with agricultural Bantu populations, and generally hold a socially subordinate position: They provide the farming population with game in exchange for agricultural products....
(Trans World Airlines), which served Buffalo briefly around 1979-1981 during a short-lived experiment running a hub in Pittsburgh. - Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines was an airline formed on July 1, 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines, Southern Airways, and Hughes Airwest. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Minneapolis-St...
, a Minneapolis-based carrier which ran flights from Buffalo to its hub at Detroit starting in 1984 and which was bought by Northwest AirlinesNorthwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
in 1987; - Empire Airlines (1976-1985)Empire Airlines (1976-1985)-Overview:Empire Airlines was a regional airline serving the Northeastern United States beginning in 1976. In 1985, the airline was purchased by Piedmont Airlines, which itself was later purchased by USAir and whose name now lives on in the US Airways Express network.Founded by Paul Quackenbush,...
, a regional carrier based in UticaUtica, New YorkUtica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
which built a hub at Syracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located northeast of Syracuse, in Onondaga County, New York, off of Interstate 81 near Mattydale, New York. The main terminal complex is located at the eastern end of Colonel Eileen Collins Boulevard.-History:In 1927...
after deregulation and ran regional jet and turboprop flights within the Northeast; - Mall AirwaysMall AirwaysrightMall Airways was an American regional airline which operated throughout the northeastern United States and eastern Canada from 1973 to 1989. The carrier operated a mixed fleet of Beechcraft 1900, Piper Navajo Chieftains, Beech 99 Airliners, and also occasionally utilized a Beech King Air 90 as...
, a small regional carrier based at Albany International AirportAlbany International AirportAlbany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....
, operated flights from Buffalo to their Albany hub in the mid-1980s. - Piedmont AirlinesPiedmont AirlinesPiedmont Airlines is an American regional airline operating for US Airways Express. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US Airways Group, headquartered in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland, near the city of Salisbury, it conducts flight operations using De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft...
, a pre-Deregulation local service carrier from North Carolina which built a hub at Baltimore-Washington International Airport after Deregulation and ran flights to the Northeast, Southeast, and Florida, and was bought by USAir in 1987 and merged into them in 1989.
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
Low fare service
Upstate New YorkUpstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
Charles Schumer
Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a...
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
The Southwest effect
The Southwest Effect is the increase in airline travel originating from a community after service to and from that community is inaugurated by Southwest Airlines or another airline that improves service or lowers cost.-Lower fares increase demand:...
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located in Cheektowaga CDP
Cheektowaga (CDP), New York
----Cheektowaga is a suburban community in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 79,988 at the 2000 census. It is within the town of Cheektowaga...
, Town of Cheektowaga
Cheektowaga (town), New York
Cheektowaga is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 94,019. The name comes from the Iroquoian word Ji-ik-do-wa-gah, meaning the place of the crab apple tree...
, in Erie County, New York
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
as well as Southern
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
, and the third busiest in New York State
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
.
History
The Buffalo Municipal Airport (as it was then known) opened in 1926 on former farmland, making it one of the oldest public airports in the country. The first passenger service, to Cleveland, began in 1927. A WPAWorks Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
-built Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
Jetway
A jet bridge is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside...
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates , an architectural firm responsible for several world-renowned buildings, provides architectural, interior and urban design as well as programming and master planning services for clients in both the public and private sectors...
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
as part of the NFL International Series
NFL International Series
Beginning with the 2005 season, the National Football League has hosted regular season American football games held outside the United States in a series known as the International Series.-Background:...
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
Tim Russert
Timothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
Curtiss-Wright
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder is a Buffalo, New York businessman and former owner of the Buffalo Braves basketball team.He founded the Freezer Queen frozen food company in Buffalo in 1958 and founded the Darien Lake theme park after purhcasing of land in Genesee County, New York in 1964.He was the first owner of...
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Shops and restaurants
Currently, there are 9 shops and restaurants in the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport plus vending machines and Wings To Go. The Anchor Bar, Everything ASAP, Monarch Newsstand & Gift Shop, Blue Zone, The Coffee Beanery, Jake's Bistro & News, Lake Erie Grille, Landmark Bar and Carvery and Matties Texas Red Hots are among these shops and restaurants.Delaware North Co.
Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is a global food service and hospitality company headquartered in Buffalo, New York The company operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gaming and entertainment industries. The company employs over 50,000 people worldwide and has over $2 billion in annual revenues...
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar is a restaurant located in Buffalo, New York which was the birthplace of spicy chicken wings, known outside the Buffalo area as Buffalo wings. The restaurant was initially established in 1935. Teressa Bellissimo is credited with the creation of the dish when she deep-fried some wings and...
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
Service history
When the Federal Government deregulated the airline industry in 1978, Buffalo was served by four airlines: three "trunk carriers" (American AirlinesAmerican Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, and Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines was an airline operating out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, from 1952 to 1979. It was a forerunner of today’s US Airways. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia....
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
operated Lockheed L-1011
Lockheed L-1011
The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed...
s and Airbus A300
Airbus A300
The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
or their visiting National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines was formed from a merger of Arizona Airways, Challenger Airlines, and Monarch Airlines on June 1, 1950. They established their headquarters at Stapleton Airport in Denver. However, the airline dated itself to November 27, 1946, when Monarch Airlines began service in Colorado,...
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
- TWATwaThe Twa are any of several hunting peoples of Africa who live interdependently with agricultural Bantu populations, and generally hold a socially subordinate position: They provide the farming population with game in exchange for agricultural products....
(Trans World Airlines), which served Buffalo briefly around 1979-1981 during a short-lived experiment running a hub in Pittsburgh. - Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines was an airline formed on July 1, 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines, Southern Airways, and Hughes Airwest. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Minneapolis-St...
, a Minneapolis-based carrier which ran flights from Buffalo to its hub at Detroit starting in 1984 and which was bought by Northwest AirlinesNorthwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
in 1987; - Empire Airlines (1976-1985)Empire Airlines (1976-1985)-Overview:Empire Airlines was a regional airline serving the Northeastern United States beginning in 1976. In 1985, the airline was purchased by Piedmont Airlines, which itself was later purchased by USAir and whose name now lives on in the US Airways Express network.Founded by Paul Quackenbush,...
, a regional carrier based in UticaUtica, New YorkUtica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
which built a hub at Syracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located northeast of Syracuse, in Onondaga County, New York, off of Interstate 81 near Mattydale, New York. The main terminal complex is located at the eastern end of Colonel Eileen Collins Boulevard.-History:In 1927...
after deregulation and ran regional jet and turboprop flights within the Northeast; - Mall AirwaysMall AirwaysrightMall Airways was an American regional airline which operated throughout the northeastern United States and eastern Canada from 1973 to 1989. The carrier operated a mixed fleet of Beechcraft 1900, Piper Navajo Chieftains, Beech 99 Airliners, and also occasionally utilized a Beech King Air 90 as...
, a small regional carrier based at Albany International AirportAlbany International AirportAlbany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....
, operated flights from Buffalo to their Albany hub in the mid-1980s. - Piedmont AirlinesPiedmont AirlinesPiedmont Airlines is an American regional airline operating for US Airways Express. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US Airways Group, headquartered in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland, near the city of Salisbury, it conducts flight operations using De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft...
, a pre-Deregulation local service carrier from North Carolina which built a hub at Baltimore-Washington International Airport after Deregulation and ran flights to the Northeast, Southeast, and Florida, and was bought by USAir in 1987 and merged into them in 1989.
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
Low fare service
Upstate New YorkUpstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
Charles Schumer
Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a...
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
The Southwest effect
The Southwest Effect is the increase in airline travel originating from a community after service to and from that community is inaugurated by Southwest Airlines or another airline that improves service or lowers cost.-Lower fares increase demand:...
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located in Cheektowaga CDP
Cheektowaga (CDP), New York
----Cheektowaga is a suburban community in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 79,988 at the 2000 census. It is within the town of Cheektowaga...
, Town of Cheektowaga
Cheektowaga (town), New York
Cheektowaga is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 94,019. The name comes from the Iroquoian word Ji-ik-do-wa-gah, meaning the place of the crab apple tree...
, in Erie County, New York
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
as well as Southern
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
, and the third busiest in New York State
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
.
History
The Buffalo Municipal Airport (as it was then known) opened in 1926 on former farmland, making it one of the oldest public airports in the country. The first passenger service, to Cleveland, began in 1927. A WPAWorks Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
-built Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
Jetway
A jet bridge is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside...
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates , an architectural firm responsible for several world-renowned buildings, provides architectural, interior and urban design as well as programming and master planning services for clients in both the public and private sectors...
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
as part of the NFL International Series
NFL International Series
Beginning with the 2005 season, the National Football League has hosted regular season American football games held outside the United States in a series known as the International Series.-Background:...
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
Tim Russert
Timothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
Curtiss-Wright
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder is a Buffalo, New York businessman and former owner of the Buffalo Braves basketball team.He founded the Freezer Queen frozen food company in Buffalo in 1958 and founded the Darien Lake theme park after purhcasing of land in Genesee County, New York in 1964.He was the first owner of...
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Shops and restaurants
Currently, there are 9 shops and restaurants in the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport plus vending machines and Wings To Go. The Anchor Bar, Everything ASAP, Monarch Newsstand & Gift Shop, Blue Zone, The Coffee Beanery, Jake's Bistro & News, Lake Erie Grille, Landmark Bar and Carvery and Matties Texas Red Hots are among these shops and restaurants.Delaware North Co.
Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is a global food service and hospitality company headquartered in Buffalo, New York The company operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gaming and entertainment industries. The company employs over 50,000 people worldwide and has over $2 billion in annual revenues...
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar is a restaurant located in Buffalo, New York which was the birthplace of spicy chicken wings, known outside the Buffalo area as Buffalo wings. The restaurant was initially established in 1935. Teressa Bellissimo is credited with the creation of the dish when she deep-fried some wings and...
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
Service history
When the Federal Government deregulated the airline industry in 1978, Buffalo was served by four airlines: three "trunk carriers" (American AirlinesAmerican Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, and Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines was an airline operating out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, from 1952 to 1979. It was a forerunner of today’s US Airways. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia....
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
operated Lockheed L-1011
Lockheed L-1011
The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed...
s and Airbus A300
Airbus A300
The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
or their visiting National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines was formed from a merger of Arizona Airways, Challenger Airlines, and Monarch Airlines on June 1, 1950. They established their headquarters at Stapleton Airport in Denver. However, the airline dated itself to November 27, 1946, when Monarch Airlines began service in Colorado,...
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
- TWATwaThe Twa are any of several hunting peoples of Africa who live interdependently with agricultural Bantu populations, and generally hold a socially subordinate position: They provide the farming population with game in exchange for agricultural products....
(Trans World Airlines), which served Buffalo briefly around 1979-1981 during a short-lived experiment running a hub in Pittsburgh. - Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines was an airline formed on July 1, 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines, Southern Airways, and Hughes Airwest. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Minneapolis-St...
, a Minneapolis-based carrier which ran flights from Buffalo to its hub at Detroit starting in 1984 and which was bought by Northwest AirlinesNorthwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
in 1987; - Empire Airlines (1976-1985)Empire Airlines (1976-1985)-Overview:Empire Airlines was a regional airline serving the Northeastern United States beginning in 1976. In 1985, the airline was purchased by Piedmont Airlines, which itself was later purchased by USAir and whose name now lives on in the US Airways Express network.Founded by Paul Quackenbush,...
, a regional carrier based in UticaUtica, New YorkUtica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
which built a hub at Syracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located northeast of Syracuse, in Onondaga County, New York, off of Interstate 81 near Mattydale, New York. The main terminal complex is located at the eastern end of Colonel Eileen Collins Boulevard.-History:In 1927...
after deregulation and ran regional jet and turboprop flights within the Northeast; - Mall AirwaysMall AirwaysrightMall Airways was an American regional airline which operated throughout the northeastern United States and eastern Canada from 1973 to 1989. The carrier operated a mixed fleet of Beechcraft 1900, Piper Navajo Chieftains, Beech 99 Airliners, and also occasionally utilized a Beech King Air 90 as...
, a small regional carrier based at Albany International AirportAlbany International AirportAlbany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....
, operated flights from Buffalo to their Albany hub in the mid-1980s. - Piedmont AirlinesPiedmont AirlinesPiedmont Airlines is an American regional airline operating for US Airways Express. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US Airways Group, headquartered in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland, near the city of Salisbury, it conducts flight operations using De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft...
, a pre-Deregulation local service carrier from North Carolina which built a hub at Baltimore-Washington International Airport after Deregulation and ran flights to the Northeast, Southeast, and Florida, and was bought by USAir in 1987 and merged into them in 1989.
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
Low fare service
Upstate New YorkUpstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
Charles Schumer
Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a...
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
The Southwest effect
The Southwest Effect is the increase in airline travel originating from a community after service to and from that community is inaugurated by Southwest Airlines or another airline that improves service or lowers cost.-Lower fares increase demand:...
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located in Cheektowaga CDP
Cheektowaga (CDP), New York
----Cheektowaga is a suburban community in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 79,988 at the 2000 census. It is within the town of Cheektowaga...
, Town of Cheektowaga
Cheektowaga (town), New York
Cheektowaga is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 94,019. The name comes from the Iroquoian word Ji-ik-do-wa-gah, meaning the place of the crab apple tree...
, in Erie County, New York
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
as well as Southern
Southern Ontario
Southern Ontario is a region of the province of Ontario, Canada that lies south of the French River and Algonquin Park. Depending on the inclusion of the Parry Sound and Muskoka districts, its surface area would cover between 14 to 15% of the province. It is the southernmost region of...
Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It is the busiest airport in Upstate New York
Upstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
, and the third busiest in New York State
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
by number of boardings, after New York City's La Guardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
.
History
The Buffalo Municipal Airport (as it was then known) opened in 1926 on former farmland, making it one of the oldest public airports in the country. The first passenger service, to Cleveland, began in 1927. A WPAWorks Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
-built Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
terminal building featuring a v-shapped terminal with a large cylindrical tower was added in 1938. The terminal's first expansion, which enlarged the terminal to 11 gates and added a restaurant, was constructed in 1955 to keep up with increasing traffic and larger planes. In 1959, after being acquired by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA), the name was changed to the Greater Buffalo International Airport. An extensive 1961 renovation/expansion remodeled the main terminal building and built a new control tower, as well as adding another concourse for American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
. Despite all this, the terminal again became outgrown. To address this problem, a second terminal (called the "West Terminal") was constructed in 1971 as a temporary solution while it was optimistically hoped that an all-new airport would be constructed in the near future. The West Terminal was built to last ten years and had nine gates.
Despite the addition of the West Terminal, the original terminal, now called the "East Terminal", received one more final expansion in 1977 that significantly enlarged the building. New ticket lobbies were constructed for American Airlines and United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, the original 1938 building was turned into a baggage claim area, and jetways
Jetway
A jet bridge is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside...
were added to the building for the first time . In 1982, two gates were added to the north/ east end of the West Terminal, used by Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
. The landside of the West Terminal was enlarged also, and the originally blue building was around that time repainted gray.
In the 1980s, an evaluation was performed on the terminals. At the conclusion of this evaluation in 1991, it was decided that it was no longer economical to keep renovating and expanding the dated terminals, and that an all-new airport would have to be constructed. Construction of the new building designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox
Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates , an architectural firm responsible for several world-renowned buildings, provides architectural, interior and urban design as well as programming and master planning services for clients in both the public and private sectors...
began in 1995 in between the two existing buildings. While the new building was being constructed, the existing terminals remained open.
The brand new airport (now renamed The Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997. It had 14 gates. The old terminals were demolished immediately in order to allow any necessary expansion. The new building received an expansion in 1999, increasing the number of gates to 26. In 2006, the main runway was repaved and extended 750 feet (228.6 m), its first major upgrade since 1980. The secondary runway was extended 1000 feet (304.8 m) as well.
In 2004 and in 2010, Buffalo/Niagara Int'l Airport hosted Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
. AFO was the first 747 to land in Buffalo. Also, in 2008 the San Diego Chargers football team brought in a Northwest 747, which then went on to London; the team's next game was against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
at Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
as part of the NFL International Series
NFL International Series
Beginning with the 2005 season, the National Football League has hosted regular season American football games held outside the United States in a series known as the International Series.-Background:...
. In May 2009 an Airbus A300-600ST Beluga #3 stopped in Buffalo for an overnight stop with space shuttle parts.
In 2008 some of the local residents made a short-lived attempt to rename the airport to "Buffalo Tim Russert International Airport" after a popular news commentator and a Buffalo native Tim Russert
Tim Russert
Timothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
who had died that year.
Southwest Airlines recently surpassed US Airways to become the largest carrier at BUF in terms of number of passengers. US Airways was bumped to second and JetBlue Airways ranked third.
A large Curtiss-Wright
Curtiss-Wright
The Curtiss-Wright Corporation was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States at the end of World War II, but has evolved to largely become a component manufacturer, specializing in actuators, aircraft controls, valves, and metalworking....
plant once existed on the Airport property. Built in 1942, the building was sold to Westinghouse in 1946 following the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Westinghouse sold the facility to Buffalo developer Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder
Paul Snyder is a Buffalo, New York businessman and former owner of the Buffalo Braves basketball team.He founded the Freezer Queen frozen food company in Buffalo in 1958 and founded the Darien Lake theme park after purhcasing of land in Genesee County, New York in 1964.He was the first owner of...
in 1985, who turned the building into the Buffalo Airport Center industrial park. The building was abandoned in 1991 and demolished in 1999 to make way for the expansion of the airport's secondary runway.
Shops and restaurants
Currently, there are 9 shops and restaurants in the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport plus vending machines and Wings To Go. The Anchor Bar, Everything ASAP, Monarch Newsstand & Gift Shop, Blue Zone, The Coffee Beanery, Jake's Bistro & News, Lake Erie Grille, Landmark Bar and Carvery and Matties Texas Red Hots are among these shops and restaurants.Delaware North Co.
Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is a global food service and hospitality company headquartered in Buffalo, New York The company operates in the lodging, sporting, airport, gaming and entertainment industries. The company employs over 50,000 people worldwide and has over $2 billion in annual revenues...
and the NFTA recently signed a pact that extends through 2027 for the concessions in the main terminal. The contract guarantees the NFTA at least $57 million in revenue payments from Delaware North during the next 20 years. The payment is based on the sales generated from the sale of food and non alcoholic beverages. This pact also requires that certain shops will be open in the morning for passengers on early flights. Delaware North is also investing some 7.6 million dollars to update the current configuration of concessions. Among those being removed are Burger King and All-Stars Cafe that were located on the edge of the west wing. In their place, Delaware North is creating the "Blue Zone" in the airport's west, or by the US Airways gates. The Blue Zone will feature a full-service bar, prepackaged meals like salads and wraps and hot items such as fresh-carved sandwiches. It will be a similar operation to the Landmark Cafe in the airport's east wing. The Blue Zone is expected to open in the summer of 2009.
The largest change however will be the creation of a food court just past the security gates.
Near the court will be a 1800 square feet (167.2 m²) Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar
Anchor Bar is a restaurant located in Buffalo, New York which was the birthplace of spicy chicken wings, known outside the Buffalo area as Buffalo wings. The restaurant was initially established in 1935. Teressa Bellissimo is credited with the creation of the dish when she deep-fried some wings and...
franchised operation with seating for 42 people at the bar and 34 at sit down tables.
"Getting the Anchor Bar was a real coup for us", said Nick Beillo, Delaware North Travel Hospitality Services chief operating officer.
The food court will be home to many locally known restaurants, as well as many fast food chains. William Vanecek, NFTA director of aviation, said the new food court will add about 12000 square feet (1,114.8 m²) of additional retail and concession space to the airport. The terminal currently has 21718 square feet (2,017.7 m²) of retail and concession space.
This is all part of the current 45 million dollar construction project which includes the addition more baggage conveyors and three new security gates.
Service history
When the Federal Government deregulated the airline industry in 1978, Buffalo was served by four airlines: three "trunk carriers" (American AirlinesAmerican Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
, United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
, and Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
) and one "local service carrier" (Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines was an airline operating out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, from 1952 to 1979. It was a forerunner of today’s US Airways. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia....
). American and United used the East Terminal, and Allegheny and Eastern used the West Terminal.
During the "glory years" for mainline-sized jet service at U.S. medium-size airports in the 1970s and 1980s, Buffalo regularly hosted widebody (twin-aisle) passenger jets. American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
operated McDonnell Douglas DC-10s to Chicago O'Hare International Airport and other points. Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...
operated Lockheed L-1011
Lockheed L-1011
The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed...
s and Airbus A300
Airbus A300
The Airbus A300 is a short- to medium-range widebody jet airliner. Launched in 1972 as the world's first twin-engined widebody, it was the first product of Airbus Industrie, a consortium of European aerospace companies, wholly owned today by EADS...
s to Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Eastern's flights often did 'tag-on' hops to Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...
due to legal restrictions on flights between the United States and Canada at that time. Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jet aircraft, but scheduled flights are now typically limited to narrowbody (single-aisle) aircraft. Today Buffalo hosts widebody passenger flights which are charters for the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
or their visiting National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
opponents.
Shortly after Deregulation, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo, in search of higher profits elsewhere. Many other airlines entered the Buffalo market, and the 1980s saw a riot of new airline service as the industry began to take its post-deregulation shape. Most of these new carriers did not survive the decade.
The most prominent new carrier at Buffalo was People Express Airlines, a low-fare carrier founded in 1981 with a hub at Newark International Airport in New Jersey, next to New York City. Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark. The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier, and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark. However, too-rapid growth including an ill-considered purchase of the original Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines (1950-1986)
Frontier Airlines was formed from a merger of Arizona Airways, Challenger Airlines, and Monarch Airlines on June 1, 1950. They established their headquarters at Stapleton Airport in Denver. However, the airline dated itself to November 27, 1946, when Monarch Airlines began service in Colorado,...
, as well as bad management, led to People's demise in 1987. They were bought and assimilated by Continental Airlines. Continental Connection Flight 3407 which crashed six miles short of Runway 23 on February 12, 2009, was operating the old People Express route from Newark.
Other carriers that served Buffalo in the 1980s include (but are not limited to):
- TWATwaThe Twa are any of several hunting peoples of Africa who live interdependently with agricultural Bantu populations, and generally hold a socially subordinate position: They provide the farming population with game in exchange for agricultural products....
(Trans World Airlines), which served Buffalo briefly around 1979-1981 during a short-lived experiment running a hub in Pittsburgh. - Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines (1979-1986)Republic Airlines was an airline formed on July 1, 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines, Southern Airways, and Hughes Airwest. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Minneapolis-St...
, a Minneapolis-based carrier which ran flights from Buffalo to its hub at Detroit starting in 1984 and which was bought by Northwest AirlinesNorthwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
in 1987; - Empire Airlines (1976-1985)Empire Airlines (1976-1985)-Overview:Empire Airlines was a regional airline serving the Northeastern United States beginning in 1976. In 1985, the airline was purchased by Piedmont Airlines, which itself was later purchased by USAir and whose name now lives on in the US Airways Express network.Founded by Paul Quackenbush,...
, a regional carrier based in UticaUtica, New YorkUtica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
which built a hub at Syracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International AirportSyracuse Hancock International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located northeast of Syracuse, in Onondaga County, New York, off of Interstate 81 near Mattydale, New York. The main terminal complex is located at the eastern end of Colonel Eileen Collins Boulevard.-History:In 1927...
after deregulation and ran regional jet and turboprop flights within the Northeast; - Mall AirwaysMall AirwaysrightMall Airways was an American regional airline which operated throughout the northeastern United States and eastern Canada from 1973 to 1989. The carrier operated a mixed fleet of Beechcraft 1900, Piper Navajo Chieftains, Beech 99 Airliners, and also occasionally utilized a Beech King Air 90 as...
, a small regional carrier based at Albany International AirportAlbany International AirportAlbany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....
, operated flights from Buffalo to their Albany hub in the mid-1980s. - Piedmont AirlinesPiedmont AirlinesPiedmont Airlines is an American regional airline operating for US Airways Express. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of the US Airways Group, headquartered in unincorporated Wicomico County, Maryland, near the city of Salisbury, it conducts flight operations using De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft...
, a pre-Deregulation local service carrier from North Carolina which built a hub at Baltimore-Washington International Airport after Deregulation and ran flights to the Northeast, Southeast, and Florida, and was bought by USAir in 1987 and merged into them in 1989.
In 1986-1987, most of the US airline industry consolidated through a series of buyouts and mergers. By the end of 1989 most domestic air service in the US was provided six surviving "legacy carriers." At the end of the 1980s, airline service in Buffalo was provided mostly by these six airlines and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest, and Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
. During the 1990s, with People Express safely vanquished, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo. The section below discusses the emergence of low-fare service, and the airport's resulting service renaissance, beginning around 2000.
Low fare service
Upstate New YorkUpstate New York
Upstate New York is the region of the U.S. state of New York that is located north of the core of the New York metropolitan area.-Definition:There is no clear or official boundary between Upstate New York and Downstate New York...
(specifically the Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany airports) used to be ranked high among the most expensive airports to fly out of in the country. "For way too long, Upstate air travelers have been at the mercy of the major carriers", said Senator Charles Schumer
Charles Schumer
Charles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a...
. Schumer is credited for jump starting the upstate New York economy with low fare airlines. He is also credited with bringing JetBlue Airways to New York and helping JetBlue obtain slots at JFK. JetBlue began service between Buffalo and JFK six days after their inaugural flight (JFK-FLL). Thanks to Schumer's efforts, JetBlue Airways started service to Buffalo, Syracuse and Rochester, Southwest Airlines has come to Buffalo and Albany and AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
started service to Buffalo and Rochester. Due to this "Southwest Effect
The Southwest effect
The Southwest Effect is the increase in airline travel originating from a community after service to and from that community is inaugurated by Southwest Airlines or another airline that improves service or lowers cost.-Lower fares increase demand:...
", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5,000,000 passenger mark for 2006. Previous estimates by the NFTA had projected 3.8 million passengers for 2006 and that it would be until 2020 before the 5 million plateau would be reached. Buffalo is the largest airport by passenger traffic in upstate New York.
Canadian travelers
The proximity of Buffalo Niagara International Airport to the 8.4 million residents of OntarioOntario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
's Golden Horseshoe
Golden Horseshoe
The Golden Horseshoe is a densely populated and industrialized region centred around the Greater Toronto Area at the western end of Lake Ontario in Southern Ontario, Canada, with outer boundaries stretching south to Lake Erie and north to Georgian Bay. Most of it is also part of the Quebec City...
region makes it a very popular airport for Canadians traveling to U.S. destinations. In fact, about one of every three passengers utilizing the airport is from Canada. Airfares from Canadian airports to the U.S. are generally higher due to multiple issues, including fewer competing airlines in Canada; higher taxes, customs and immigration surcharges imposed on international flights; higher operating costs; a higher than historic value of the Canadian dollar
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
; and airport improvement fees
Airport Improvement Fee
An Airport Improvement Fee or Embarkation Fee or Airport Tax or Service charge or Service fee is an additional fee charged to departing and connecting passengers at an airport. It is levied by government or an airport management corporation and the proceeds are usually intended for funding of major...
imposed on travelers at Canadian airports. There are many shuttles between the airport and cities throughout Southern Ontario, as well as to Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport
Toronto Pearson International Airport is an international airport serving Toronto, Ontario, Canada; its metropolitan area; and the Golden Horseshoe, an urban agglomeration that is home to 8.1 million people – approximately 25% of Canada's population...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
Airlines and destinations
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is the largest, and one of the fastest growing airports in Upstate New York. On average there are 110 flights per day, and BNIA has nonstop flights to and from 21 cities across the continental US.Top Destinations
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  New York-JFK, NYJohn F. Kennedy International Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North... |
334,000 | Delta, JetBlue |
| 2 |  Atlanta, GAHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States... |
318,000 | AirTran, Delta |
| 3 |  Chicago-O’Hare, IL |
219,000 | American, United |
| 4 |  Baltimore, MDBaltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is an international airport serving the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area in the United States. It is commonly called BWI, BWI Airport or BWI Marshall, BWI being an initialism for "Baltimore/Washington International" and the... |
214,000 | Southwest |
| 5 |  Orlando, FLOrlando International Airport Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport... |
212,000 | AirTran, JetBlue, Southwest |
| 6 |  Charlotte, NCCharlotte/Douglas International Airport Charlotte Douglas International Airport is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, in 1954 the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr... |
164,000 | US Airways |
| 7 | Chicago-Midway, IL |
142,000 | Southwest |
| 8 |  Boston, MALogan International Airport General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways... |
121,000 | JetBlue, US Airways |
| 9 |  Detroit, MIDetroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport , usually called Detroit Metro Airport, Metro Airport locally, or simply DTW, is a major international airport covering in Romulus, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. It is Michigan's busiest airport.... |
115,000 | Delta |
| 10 |  Philadelphia, PAPhiladelphia International Airport Philadelphia International Airport is a major airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and is the largest airport in the Delaware Valley region and in Pennsylvania... |
101,000 | US Airways |
Cargo airlines
- Ameriflight International
- Air Now (Based in Buffalo)
- DHL
- FedEx Express
- Southwest Cargo
- UPS AirlinesUPS AirlinesUPS Airlines is an American cargo airline owned by United Parcel Service Inc. . The company is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. Its home airport is located at Louisville International Airport...
- Worldwide Flight Services
Other
Prior Aviation provides private charter flights and other services including fueling and ground handling to many of the scheduled airlines that operate from the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport. It also provides aircraft maintenance service from its FAA approved repair station to airlines, corporate and general aviation customers. It is located on the north side of the airport.Total Aeronautical Operating Revenue:
2009-26.2 Million
2008-22.3 Million
2007-21.6 Million
2006-21.4 Million
2005-17.9 Million
Annual Aircraft Operations:
2009-132.6 Thousand
2008-138.5 Thousand
2007-137.6 Thousand
2006-132.8 Thousand
2005-136.9 Thousand
Ground transportation
The airport is served by the New York State ThruwayNew York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
and Kensington Expressway. The latter highway ends at the airport.
Various limos, taxis, shuttle buses and buses have access to and from the airport. Greyhound Bus Lines and NFTA Metro buses (Routes 24B (Genesee), 68 (George Urban) and 204 (Airport-Downtown Express). Route 210 Airport Niagara Falls Express operates from May to October only. NFTA Metro Paratransit offers services to the airport for people with mobility issues, but pre-booking is required. Buses and limos from Canada also provides transportation to and from the airport.
Accidents and incidents
A list of incidents involving flights near or en route to Buffalo Niagara International Airport:- 1972 - A private plane crashed into a home on Diane Drive in Cheektowaga, New YorkCheektowaga (town), New YorkCheektowaga is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 94,019. The name comes from the Iroquoian word Ji-ik-do-wa-gah, meaning the place of the crab apple tree...
near Buffalo Niagara International Airport. The crash killed three on board and three on the ground.
- June 12, 1972 - American Airlines Flight 96, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 en route from Detroit to BuffaloBuffalo, New YorkBuffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
suffered an explosive decompressionExplosive decompressionUncontrolled decompression refers to an unplanned drop in the pressure of a sealed system, such as an aircraft cabin and typically results from human error, material fatigue, engineering failure or impact causing a pressure vessel to vent into its lower-pressure surroundings or fail to pressurize...
and was forced to return to Detroit.
- December 1, 1974 - Northwest Airlines Flight 6231, a Boeing 727Boeing 727The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
chartered to pick up the Baltimore ColtsIndianapolis ColtsThe Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
in Buffalo crashed near Thiells, New YorkThiells, New YorkThiells, formally known as Thiells Corner in the 1850s, is a hamlet in the Town of Haverstraw Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Mount Ivy; east of Pomona; south of Tomkins Cove and west of Garnerville...
. The flight departed John F. Kennedy International AirportJohn F. Kennedy International AirportJohn F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...
with only the cockpit crew on board. The pitot tubePitot tubeA pitot tube is a pressure measurement instrument used to measure fluid flow velocity. The pitot tube was invented by the French engineer Henri Pitot Ulo in the early 18th century and was modified to its modern form in the mid-19th century by French scientist Henry Darcy...
heat was not turned on and the pitot tube iced over during climb out making the airspeed readings unreliable. The plane stalled passing 23,000' and the crew was unable to regain control. All 3 crewmembers on board were killed.
- February 12, 2009 - Colgan Air Flight 3407Colgan Air Flight 3407Colgan Air Flight 3407, marketed as Continental Connection under a codeshare agreement with Continental Airlines, was a daily U.S. regional airline commuter flight from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey to Buffalo Niagara International Airport in New York State.A Bombardier...
, a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 operating under contract with Continental ConnectionContinental ConnectionContinental Connection is a brand name under which several commuter airline carriers and their holding companies operate services marketed exclusively by Continental Airlines...
crashed into a home on Long Street in Clarence Center, New YorkClarence Center, New YorkClarence Center is a hamlet located in the Town of Clarence in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 1,747 at the 2000 census...
. The flight from Newark Liberty International AirportNewark Liberty International AirportNewark Liberty International Airport , first named Newark Metropolitan Airport and later Newark International Airport, is an international airport within the city limits of both Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States...
was scheduled to arrive at Buffalo International Airport and was only approximately 6 miles away from the airport when it crashed. All 49 passengers and crew members on board the aircraft perished in the incident, along with one individual who resided in the home the aircraft crashed into. Two others who were in the home at the time of the accident escaped alive. Minutes before the accident, the crew had reported “significant ice buildup” on the wings and the windshield and an NTSB official said that the aircraft had experienced "“severe pitch-and-roll excursions" 40 seconds prior to the crash. This was the first fatal accident of an airliner on US soil in almost 3 years after the crash of Comair Flight 191.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport Fire Department
Buffalo Airport Fire Department is a fire service for the airport. It was formerly Buffalo Fire DepartmentBuffalo Fire Department
The Buffalo Fire Department is the principal fire and rescue service for the city of Buffalo, New York. It is the largest fire department in Upstate New York. The Fire Department currently consists of one division which is separated into four battalions, and further separated into 4 platoons...
Engine 7 (crash-fire-rescue unit) until 1981 and was transferred over to the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority
The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority is a public authority responsible for the public transportation oversight of Erie and Niagara counties in the State of New York...
.
The BNIAFD has six pieces of apparatus:
- 2005 Oshkosh Stryker Crash Tender (Dry Chemical, Water and Foam)
- 1992 Oshkosh T-3000 Crash Tender (Water and Foam)
- 2000 Oshkosh T-3000 Crash Tender (Water and Foam)
- Heavy Rescue Unit (EMS and Spills)
- Chief's Car
- Pumper/Tender (Water and Foam)
See also
- New York World War II Army AirfieldsNew York World War II Army AirfieldsDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Force established numerous airfields in New York for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers....
External links
- Buffalo Niagara International Airport, official site