Long Island MacArthur Airport
Encyclopedia
Long Island MacArthur Airport, formerly known as Islip Airport is a public airport
located on Long Island
, in Ronkonkoma
, Town of Islip
, Suffolk County, New York
, United States. It is seven miles (11 km) northeast of the central business district of Islip hamlet. Long Island MacArthur Airport (LIMA) covers an area of 1,311 acres (531 ha) containing four runways and two helipads. The Town owns and operates the airport, which serves approximately two million commercial passengers a year, as well as a thriving general aviation sector.
Located midway between Montauk Point 60 miles to the east and Manhattan 50 miles to the west, MacArthur Airport serves primarily the three million residents of Nassau and Suffolk counties. In addition, the airport serves travelers from the Greater New York Metropolitan Area and around the nation who want a more convenient alternative to the congestion at JFK and LaGuardia airports – both located in Queens.
The FAA recently designated LIMA an Official Metro Airport, meaning it is now being grouped with LaGuardia, JFK and Newark in travel and informational searches for New York airports, providing better exposure to the traveling public. MacArthur Airport, which does not share the congested air space of the city-centric airports, also has an exceptional record of on-time performance. During 2009, for instance, 83.6% of flights arrived on time and 85.6% of flights departed on time.
During 2007, the airport served more than 2.3 million commercial passengers. For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2007, the airport had 182,142 aircraft operations, an average of 499 per day; 80 percent general aviation; 15 percent scheduled commercial; five percent air taxi and approximately one percent military. There are 243 aircraft based at the airport: 63% single-engine; 10% multi-engine; 19% jet aircraft; seven percent helicopters; and less than one percent military. The Town-owned Foreign Trade Zone is located adjacent to airport property.
In 1944, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation built the first hangar at the airport. Five years later, the Town built the airport's first terminal building preparing the way for commercial service. Throughout the 1950s, the Sperry Corporation
conducted aerospace research at the airport.
In 1960, Allegheny Airlines
(AL) was the first commercial airline to offer scheduled flights from the field to Boston, Philadelphia
and Washington
. The March 1961 Official Airline Guide
shows five weekday Convair departures: a nonstop to Washington National, one to Baltimore, and three flights making two or three stops to Boston. The General Douglas MacArthur Terminal was completed in 1966; in 1967 Mohawk started two FH227 flights a day to Bridgeport and Albany and beyond (one continued to Toronto). A few years later American Airlines
began non-stop flights to Chicago
.
In the 50 years since Long Island MacArthur Airport introduced scheduled air service the airport has become a major transportation hub and economic engine of the region. Although several airlines have discontinued service over the years, during the decade between 1999 and 2009 passenger traffic grew with the airport now serving about two million passengers a year on its two commercial carriers: Southwest Airlines
and US Airways Express.
Continental Express
and Continental Connection
offered non-stop flights to Albany
and to Cleveland, but discontinued service in 2005. Spirit Airlines
had scheduled service to several Florida
cities and Detroit, before they moved their New York business to LaGuardia Airport
in 2001; in May 2008 the airline resumed service to Fort Lauderdale
from MacArthur only to discontinue it shortly thereafter. Delta Express
, which offered non-stop flights to Orlando
and Fort Lauderdale, discontinued service at MacArthur Airport in 2003, after experiencing a decline in passenger traffic. Delta Connection
to and from Atlanta ended on May 1, 2008 following a mid-April announcement that Delta
and Northwest Airlines
were planning to merge – a move that led to significant operational changes for the merged airline.
As of 2010 the only legacy carrier
service at the airport US Airways Express
to Philadelphia Airport, where passengers can make connections to 800 destinations worldwide. Southwest Airlines
offers non-stop service to several Florida cities: Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa, and West Palm Beach, as well as hubs in Baltimore, Chicago, and Las Vegas, which offer connections throughout the Southwest system. In November 2010 Southwest will no longer offer direct flights to Las Vegas, but travelers will be able to get to Vegas through BWI. In June 2012 Southwest will no longer offer direct flights to Chicago-Midway, but travelers will be able to get to MDW through BWI.
Established approximately midway through the 20th century, by the end of the century MacArthur Airport had been completely transformed and continues to grow and expand today.
In 2004, MacArthur Airport embarked on an expansion that included a dedicated Southwest Airlines
terminal constructed by the airline at a cost of $65 million. Phase one of the expansion included four gates to be used by Southwest Airlines
, as well as space for shops and restaurants. Phase two, completed in November 2006, added four more gates for a total of eight new gates. Prior to the expansion project, passengers had to pass back through the ticketing area of the airport to reach the baggage claim area. With completion of Phase two, the new concourse provided a more convenient exit point to baggage claim, ground transportation and the airport's roadway exit.
A major proponent of the airport's 2004–2006 expansion projects was Peter J. McGowan, then the Islip Town Supervisor. When completed, the new concourse was named after McGowan. However, when in March 2006 he resigned from office, the terminal was re-named Veterans Memorial Concourse in homage to Long Island's distinction as home to more military veterans than almost any other community in the United States.
While no further expansion is currently planned for the interior of the terminal building, numerous other projects are underway. A new control tower was completed in 2010 and opened in 2011 to replace the outdated tower built in the early sixties. In 2010 a new state-of-the-art Fuel Farm will increase the airport's on-site jet fuel supplies. In addition, the airport has plans to reconfigure the roadway to improve traffic flow in front of the terminal; an additional taxiway is also planned along with various other airfield projects using FAA airport improvement program funds. Development of the airport's West Side, home to a thriving general aviation sector, will also get underway in late 2010.
While the airport continues to expand and enhance its infrastructure it has also added numerous amenities, including free courtesy cell phone parking (located in the rear of Lot 6B). Since 2009 the airport has also provided numerous tools to facilitate communication for and with passengers. In November 2009 MacArthur Airport became the only airport in the Tri-state region to offer free wireless in the entire terminal and in the courtesy cell phone parking lot. In addition, the airport launched several tools designed to provide up-to-date information to travelers, including: the airport's first official Website – www.flyLIMA.com; a radio frequency (1630 AM); as well as social media outlets Facebook and Twitter. All passenger food catering within the airport terminal is provided by HMSHost, which operates five restaurants. For passengers traveling with small dogs, the airport created a pet relief area conveniently located just outside the baggage claim area.
for Kennedy Airport. However, she quickly worked her way up to a supervisor position. Eventually she was hired as the general manager for Newark Liberty International Airport. Ultimately facing a transfer to Washington Dulles International Airport, she elected to stay closer to home to be with her son. Some other airport staff members are, Eric M. Hofmeister the deputy airport commissioner, Brad Ringhouse the airport administrative supervisor, Rob Schneider the airport operations supervisor, and Catherine Green the airport communication director.Shortly after, she got the job at Long Island MacArthur in 2008. Mission critical departments include Airport Operations, Custodial, Fire Rescue, Law Enforcement, Maintenance, and Public Affairs.
The Long Island MacArthur Airport Fire Rescue Department provides 24 hour fire protection, EMS
, and rescue services on airport grounds. Joseph Marino serves as Airport Chief of Fire Rescue. Ryan Tomassone serves as Airport Deputy Fire Chief. The department is equipped with crash trucks
, a 3500 gallon Class A tanker, a Hazardous Material Response truck, a Heavy Rescue Response Unit, a Crash Recovery and Salvage Unit, and an EMS First Responder Unit. MacArthur Airport Fire Department is part of Suffolk County's Fire Rescue Mutual Aid Response Plan.
The Long Island MacArthur Airport Law Enforcement Division is the primary law enforcement agency located at the airport. Greg DeCanio, the Airport's chief of law enforcement. This division patrols the terminal building, the grounds, roadways and parking areas of the airport – both on foot and vehicles. The division enforces federal, state and local laws and assists the public. LIMA Law Enforcement works closely with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which is the aviation division of the Department of Homeland Security, as well as the Suffolk County Police Department. These entities work closely with LIMA Law Enforcement on a range of security-related issues to provide the highest level of safety for the traveling public.
In addition, the Fire Rescue and Law Enforcement Divisions at Long Island MacArthur Airport train together in order to be better able to assist each other's divisions and respond more efficiently.
Along with the Fire Rescue and Law Enforcement Divisions, the Airport Operations Division plays a primary role in maintaining a safe environment at Long Island MacArthur Airport. This division is responsible for safety monitoring of the airfield and land side of the airport property under FAA "Part 139" regulations and performs safety inspections of the grounds several times a day. In addition, this division oversees all construction projects – both those of the airport administration and of third parties, and manages the process for obtaining federal grant funding for airport for infrastructure, as well as strategic planning purposes.
The Suffolk County Police (SCPD) Aviation Section has a Law Enforcement and MEDEVAC
helicopter based at MacArthur Airport. The base is staffed 24 hours a day by Police Pilots, as well as Flight Paramedics employed by the Stony Brook University Medical Center.
Until the early 1990s, the 2nd Battalion (Attack), 142nd Aviation Regiment of the N.Y. Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division Aviation Brigade, was based at Long Island MacArthur Airport, equipped with Bell AH-1F Cobra helicopters. In 2006, the 3rd Battalion (Assault), 126th Aviation Regiment moved its headquarters from Latham, N.Y. to Long Island MacArthur Airport, bringing it's Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters. In May 2007, following yet another reorganization in which the battalion was re-configured, the unit received its mobilization alert order to participate in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Over the course of their deployment, the unit – which came to be known as Task Force Jester – flew more than 15,000 flight hours. The last of the battalion's troops returned home to Long Island MacArthur Airport in May 2009.
of United Airlines
operating on a pilot test flight bound for LaGuardia Airport
lost control soon after take-off and subsequently crashed, killing all three crew members on board.
Another incident occurred on July 25, 2008, when a bomb threat was received for Southwest Airlines
Flight 2622, bound for Chicago. Subsequently, Concourse A was evacuated for several hours and a thorough search of the airplane and building commenced, which led to no dangerous item to be found.
station at Ronkonkoma
by dedicated shuttles. The LIRR currently offers a discount package for airport passengers, which includes the cost of shuttle service between the train station and airport terminal. http://www.mta.info/lirr/getaways/LongIsland/MacArthur.htm.
Taxi
, rental car, and limousine
service is available, too. Five national rental car companies serve the airport. Many hotels in the surrounding area also provide shuttle service to and from the airport, including the Holiday Inn – Long Island Islip Airport located on airport property less than five minutes from the terminal building.
Suffolk Transit's S57 route serves the airport, connecting it with Sayville
and the Smith Haven Mall
, located in Lake Grove, New York.
, the airport scene, in which George Kellerman (Jack Lemmon
) and his wife Gwen (Sandy Dennis
) depart Ohio
for New York, was filmed at Long Island MacArthur Airport.
In 2008, several scenes for the independent film Everyday, starring Helen Hunt, Liev Schrieber and Brian Dennehy, were filmed at Long Island MacArthur Airport.
In 2009, Comedy Central filmed promotional commercials for comedian Mike Birbiglia's nationwide tour and television special, I’m in the Future Also.
Scenes for the 2010 FX comedy Louie
were filmed at Long Island MacArthur Airport. In August of 2010, scenes for a documentary about behavioral pharmacologist Victor DeNoble, Addiction, Inc. were also filmed at the 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 on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, in Ronkonkoma
Ronkonkoma, New York
Ronkonkoma is a census-designated place on Long Island in the Town of Islip, Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 20,029 at the 2000 census...
, Town of Islip
Islip (town), New York
The Town of Islip is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York . Located on the south shore of Long Island, the town population was 322,612 at the 2000 census. The smaller, unincorporated hamlet of Islip lies within the town.-Demographics:...
, Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
, United States. It is seven miles (11 km) northeast of the central business district of Islip hamlet. Long Island MacArthur Airport (LIMA) covers an area of 1,311 acres (531 ha) containing four runways and two helipads. The Town owns and operates the airport, which serves approximately two million commercial passengers a year, as well as a thriving general aviation sector.
Located midway between Montauk Point 60 miles to the east and Manhattan 50 miles to the west, MacArthur Airport serves primarily the three million residents of Nassau and Suffolk counties. In addition, the airport serves travelers from the Greater New York Metropolitan Area and around the nation who want a more convenient alternative to the congestion at JFK and LaGuardia airports – both located in Queens.
The FAA recently designated LIMA an Official Metro Airport, meaning it is now being grouped with LaGuardia, JFK and Newark in travel and informational searches for New York airports, providing better exposure to the traveling public. MacArthur Airport, which does not share the congested air space of the city-centric airports, also has an exceptional record of on-time performance. During 2009, for instance, 83.6% of flights arrived on time and 85.6% of flights departed on time.
During 2007, the airport served more than 2.3 million commercial passengers. For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2007, the airport had 182,142 aircraft operations, an average of 499 per day; 80 percent general aviation; 15 percent scheduled commercial; five percent air taxi and approximately one percent military. There are 243 aircraft based at the airport: 63% single-engine; 10% multi-engine; 19% jet aircraft; seven percent helicopters; and less than one percent military. The Town-owned Foreign Trade Zone is located adjacent to airport property.
History
In April 1942, four months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, which precipitated the entrance of the United States into World War II, the Town of Islip entered into contract with the federal government to build an airfield on Town-owned land for potential military purposes during the war. Within months, the Civil Aeronautics Administration – predecessor to today's Federal Aviation Administration – funded construction of three paved runways. Originally named Islip Airport, at the suggestion of Charles H. Duryea, a local elected official, the airport was renamed MacArthur Airport, after General Douglas MacArthur, General of the Army.In 1944, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation built the first hangar at the airport. Five years later, the Town built the airport's first terminal building preparing the way for commercial service. Throughout the 1950s, the Sperry Corporation
Sperry Corporation
Sperry Corporation was a major American equipment and electronics company whose existence spanned more than seven decades of the twentieth century...
conducted aerospace research at the airport.
In 1960, 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....
(AL) was the first commercial airline to offer scheduled flights from the field to Boston, Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
and Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. The March 1961 Official Airline Guide
Official Airline Guide
OAG, formerly Official Airline Guide, is a United Kingdom based business providing aviation information and analytical services sourced from its proprietary airline schedules, flight status, fleet, MRO and cargo logistics databases....
shows five weekday Convair departures: a nonstop to Washington National, one to Baltimore, and three flights making two or three stops to Boston. The General Douglas MacArthur Terminal was completed in 1966; in 1967 Mohawk started two FH227 flights a day to Bridgeport and Albany and beyond (one continued to Toronto). A few years later 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...
began non-stop flights to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
In the 50 years since Long Island MacArthur Airport introduced scheduled air service the airport has become a major transportation hub and economic engine of the region. Although several airlines have discontinued service over the years, during the decade between 1999 and 2009 passenger traffic grew with the airport now serving about two million passengers a year on its two commercial carriers: Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
and US Airways Express.
Continental Express
Continental Express
Continental Express is the operating brand name used by a number of independently owned regional airlines providing regional jet feeder service under agreement with Continental Airlines...
and Continental Connection
Continental Connection
Continental Connection is a brand name under which several commuter airline carriers and their holding companies operate services marketed exclusively by Continental Airlines...
offered non-stop flights to Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
and to Cleveland, but discontinued service in 2005. Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines
Spirit Airlines is a United States ultra low-cost carrier operating scheduled flights throughout the Americas. The airline is headquartered in Miramar, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. Spirit currently maintains a base in Fort Lauderdale, Florida...
had scheduled service to several Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
cities and Detroit, before they moved their New York business to LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
in 2001; in May 2008 the airline resumed service to Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
from MacArthur only to discontinue it shortly thereafter. Delta Express
Delta Express
Delta Express was a no-frills "airline within an airline" brand owned and operated by Delta Air Lines from 1996 to 2003. The airline was headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia....
, which offered non-stop flights to Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
and Fort Lauderdale, discontinued service at MacArthur Airport in 2003, after experiencing a decline in passenger traffic. Delta Connection
Delta Connection
Delta Connection is the name under which a number of individually owned regional airlines and one wholly owned regional carrier operate short and medium haul routes in association with Delta Air Lines Inc...
to and from Atlanta ended on May 1, 2008 following a mid-April announcement that Delta
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...
and Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest 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...
were planning to merge – a move that led to significant operational changes for the merged airline.
As of 2010 the only legacy carrier
Legacy carrier
A legacy carrier, in the United States, is an airline that had established interstate routes by the time of the route liberalization which was permitted by the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 and was thus directly affected by that act...
service at the airport US Airways Express
US Airways Express
US Airways Express is an airline brand name, rather than a fully certified airline, and as such, the US Airways Express name is used by several individually owned airlines or airline holding companies which provide regional airline and commuter service for US Airways.Operations are conducted from...
to Philadelphia Airport, where passengers can make connections to 800 destinations worldwide. Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
offers non-stop service to several Florida cities: Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa, and West Palm Beach, as well as hubs in Baltimore, Chicago, and Las Vegas, which offer connections throughout the Southwest system. In November 2010 Southwest will no longer offer direct flights to Las Vegas, but travelers will be able to get to Vegas through BWI. In June 2012 Southwest will no longer offer direct flights to Chicago-Midway, but travelers will be able to get to MDW through BWI.
Passenger Enplanements and Operations
Since the September 11, 2001, attacks the aviation industry has undergone tremendous reorganization and change. Following the attacks, MacArthur Airport saw a 25 percent drop in passenger traffic but rebounded until 2006 when numbers began to drop once again. Charts depicting annual operations and passenger enplanements are in appendix C and D. In the year 2005 MacArthur Airport had 173,135 total operations; during this year 1,055,832 passenger were enplaned, 7.07 percent more than 2004. In 2006 MacArthur had 189,390 total operations with 1,138,061 passenger enplanements. The year 2007 brought total operations at MacArthur down to 184,760 but passenger enplanements increased to 1,167,515, MacArthur's highest passenger enplanements in the last 6 years. In 2008, total operations at MacArthur were 179,230 and passenger enplanements were down to 1,048,768; in 2009, 159,736 total operations and 929,902 passenger enplanements. From 2005 to 2009 almost every category of MacArthur's operations has declined: airline, military, air taxi, and general aviation.Growth and Expansion in the 21st Century
In 2004, MacArthur Airport embarked on an expansion that included a dedicated Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
terminal constructed by the airline at a cost of $65 million. Phase one of the expansion included four gates to be used by Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
, as well as space for shops and restaurants. Phase two, completed in November 2006, added four more gates for a total of eight new gates. Prior to the expansion project, passengers had to pass back through the ticketing area of the airport to reach the baggage claim area. With completion of Phase two, the new concourse provided a more convenient exit point to baggage claim, ground transportation and the airport's roadway exit.
A major proponent of the airport's 2004–2006 expansion projects was Peter J. McGowan, then the Islip Town Supervisor. When completed, the new concourse was named after McGowan. However, when in March 2006 he resigned from office, the terminal was re-named Veterans Memorial Concourse in homage to Long Island's distinction as home to more military veterans than almost any other community in the United States.
While no further expansion is currently planned for the interior of the terminal building, numerous other projects are underway. A new control tower was completed in 2010 and opened in 2011 to replace the outdated tower built in the early sixties. In 2010 a new state-of-the-art Fuel Farm will increase the airport's on-site jet fuel supplies. In addition, the airport has plans to reconfigure the roadway to improve traffic flow in front of the terminal; an additional taxiway is also planned along with various other airfield projects using FAA airport improvement program funds. Development of the airport's West Side, home to a thriving general aviation sector, will also get underway in late 2010.
While the airport continues to expand and enhance its infrastructure it has also added numerous amenities, including free courtesy cell phone parking (located in the rear of Lot 6B). Since 2009 the airport has also provided numerous tools to facilitate communication for and with passengers. In November 2009 MacArthur Airport became the only airport in the Tri-state region to offer free wireless in the entire terminal and in the courtesy cell phone parking lot. In addition, the airport launched several tools designed to provide up-to-date information to travelers, including: the airport's first official Website – www.flyLIMA.com; a radio frequency (1630 AM); as well as social media outlets Facebook and Twitter. All passenger food catering within the airport terminal is provided by HMSHost, which operates five restaurants. For passengers traveling with small dogs, the airport created a pet relief area conveniently located just outside the baggage claim area.
Airlines and destinations
The following airlines offer non-stop scheduled flights to and from MacArthur Airport:Top Destinations
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  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... |
170,000 | Southwest |
| 2 |  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... |
158,000 | Southwest |
| 3 |  Chicago-Midway, IL |
110,000 | Southwest |
| 4 | West Palm Beach, FL Palm Beach International Airport Palm Beach International Airport is a public airport located 3 nautical miles west of Palm Beach, Florida, in West Palm Beach, Florida, and serves Palm Beach County. The airport is operated and maintained by Palm Beach County Department of Airports. Road access to the airport is available... |
100,000 | Southwest |
| 5 | Fort Lauderdale, FL Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport is an international commercial airport located in unincorporated Broward County, Florida, three miles southwest of the central business district of Fort Lauderdale... |
98,000 | Southwest |
| 6 | Tampa, FL Tampa International Airport Tampa International Airport is a major public airport located six nautical miles west of the central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority... |
84,000 | Southwest |
| 7 |  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... |
44,000 | US Airways |
| 8 |  Las Vegas, NVMcCarran International Airport McCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada, United States. The airport is located five miles south of the central business district of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise in Clark County. It covers an area of and... |
18,000 | Southwest |
| 9 | Fort Myers, FL Southwest Florida International Airport -Statistics:-Accidents and incidents:* November 28, 2007 - A single-engine fixed wing aircraft crashed about 9:20 a.m. one mile west of Runway 6. The crash killed the pilot... |
9,000 | Southwest |
| 10 |  Raleigh, NCRaleigh-Durham International Airport Raleigh-Durham International Airport is a public international airport located 4.5 miles northeast of the town of Morrisville in suburban Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The airport covers and operates three runways, providing direct service to 40 domestic and international... |
4,000 | Southwest |
About the Airport Administration
Long Island MacArthur Airport is owned and operated by the Town of Islip. The Department of Aviation is led by the Commissioner of Aviation and Transportation, who works closely with the Town Board to manage and steward the airport. The Airport's manager/commissioner is Teresa Rizzuto who began on February 7, 2008. Ms. Rizzuto hopes to stop MacArthur's activity decline and attract new airlines to the Airport. She started her aviation career as a baggage handlerBaggage handler
In the airline industry, a baggage handler is a person who loads and unloads baggage , and other cargo for transport via aircraft...
for Kennedy Airport. However, she quickly worked her way up to a supervisor position. Eventually she was hired as the general manager for Newark Liberty International Airport. Ultimately facing a transfer to Washington Dulles International Airport, she elected to stay closer to home to be with her son. Some other airport staff members are, Eric M. Hofmeister the deputy airport commissioner, Brad Ringhouse the airport administrative supervisor, Rob Schneider the airport operations supervisor, and Catherine Green the airport communication director.Shortly after, she got the job at Long Island MacArthur in 2008. Mission critical departments include Airport Operations, Custodial, Fire Rescue, Law Enforcement, Maintenance, and Public Affairs.
The Long Island MacArthur Airport Fire Rescue Department provides 24 hour fire protection, EMS
Emergency medical services
Emergency medical services are a type of emergency service dedicated to providing out-of-hospital acute medical care and/or transport to definitive care, to patients with illnesses and injuries which the patient, or the medical practitioner, believes constitutes a medical emergency...
, and rescue services on airport grounds. Joseph Marino serves as Airport Chief of Fire Rescue. Ryan Tomassone serves as Airport Deputy Fire Chief. The department is equipped with crash trucks
Airport Crash Tender
An airport crash tender is a specialised fire engine designed for use at aerodromes and airports in aircraft accidents.Airport Crash Tenders are extremely powerful machines...
, a 3500 gallon Class A tanker, a Hazardous Material Response truck, a Heavy Rescue Response Unit, a Crash Recovery and Salvage Unit, and an EMS First Responder Unit. MacArthur Airport Fire Department is part of Suffolk County's Fire Rescue Mutual Aid Response Plan.
In addition, the Fire Rescue and Law Enforcement Divisions at Long Island MacArthur Airport train together in order to be better able to assist each other's divisions and respond more efficiently.
Along with the Fire Rescue and Law Enforcement Divisions, the Airport Operations Division plays a primary role in maintaining a safe environment at Long Island MacArthur Airport. This division is responsible for safety monitoring of the airfield and land side of the airport property under FAA "Part 139" regulations and performs safety inspections of the grounds several times a day. In addition, this division oversees all construction projects – both those of the airport administration and of third parties, and manages the process for obtaining federal grant funding for airport for infrastructure, as well as strategic planning purposes.
Tenants of Long Island MacArthur Airport
Long Island MacArthur Airport's West Side houses numerous general aviation tenants, including three fixed based operators: Sheltair Aviation, Excelaire, and Mid Island Air, which offer a full range of general aviation services.The Suffolk County Police (SCPD) Aviation Section has a Law Enforcement and MEDEVAC
MEDEVAC
Medical evacuation, often termed Medevac or Medivac, is the timely and efficient movement and en route care provided by medical personnel to the wounded being evacuated from the battlefield or to injured patients being evacuated from the scene of an accident to receiving medical facilities using...
helicopter based at MacArthur Airport. The base is staffed 24 hours a day by Police Pilots, as well as Flight Paramedics employed by the Stony Brook University Medical Center.
Until the early 1990s, the 2nd Battalion (Attack), 142nd Aviation Regiment of the N.Y. Army National Guard's 42nd Infantry Division Aviation Brigade, was based at Long Island MacArthur Airport, equipped with Bell AH-1F Cobra helicopters. In 2006, the 3rd Battalion (Assault), 126th Aviation Regiment moved its headquarters from Latham, N.Y. to Long Island MacArthur Airport, bringing it's Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk helicopters. In May 2007, following yet another reorganization in which the battalion was re-configured, the unit received its mobilization alert order to participate in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Over the course of their deployment, the unit – which came to be known as Task Force Jester – flew more than 15,000 flight hours. The last of the battalion's troops returned home to Long Island MacArthur Airport in May 2009.
Accidents and Incidents
There has been only one deadly accident at MacArthur Airport: On April 4, 1955, a Douglas DC-6Douglas DC-6
The Douglas DC-6 is a piston-powered airliner and transport aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1946 to 1958. Originally intended as a military transport near the end of World War II, it was reworked after the war to compete with the Lockheed Constellation in the long-range...
of 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...
operating on a pilot test flight bound for LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...
lost control soon after take-off and subsequently crashed, killing all three crew members on board.
Another incident occurred on July 25, 2008, when a bomb threat was received for Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
Flight 2622, bound for Chicago. Subsequently, Concourse A was evacuated for several hours and a thorough search of the airplane and building commenced, which led to no dangerous item to be found.
Ground transportation
MacArthur Airport is connected with the nearby Long Island Rail RoadLong Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
station at Ronkonkoma
Ronkonkoma (LIRR station)
Ronkonkoma is a major railroad station and transportation hub along the Main Line of the Long Island Rail Road in Ronkonkoma, New York. The station is the eastern terminus of the Ronkonkoma Branch and the western terminus of the Greenport Branch....
by dedicated shuttles. The LIRR currently offers a discount package for airport passengers, which includes the cost of shuttle service between the train station and airport terminal. http://www.mta.info/lirr/getaways/LongIsland/MacArthur.htm.
Taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
, rental car, and limousine
Limousine
A limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
service is available, too. Five national rental car companies serve the airport. Many hotels in the surrounding area also provide shuttle service to and from the airport, including the Holiday Inn – Long Island Islip Airport located on airport property less than five minutes from the terminal building.
Suffolk Transit's S57 route serves the airport, connecting it with Sayville
Sayville, New York
Sayville is a hamlet and CDP in Suffolk County, New York, . Located on the south shore of Long Island in the Town of Islip, the population of the CDP was 16,735 at the time of the 2000 census.-History:...
and the Smith Haven Mall
Smith Haven Mall
Smith Haven Mall is a shopping mall located in Lake Grove, New York and is the main mall for the "Mid Island" area of Long Island. It is also the eastern most enclosed mall on Long Island, and thus draws shoppers from the towns that make up...
, located in Lake Grove, New York.
Popular culture
In the 1970 Academy Award-winning film The Out-of-TownersThe Out-of-Towners (1970 film)
The Out-of-Towners is a 1970 comedy film written by Neil Simon, directed by Arthur Hiller, and starring Jack Lemmon and Sandy Dennis. It was released by Paramount Pictures on May 28, 1970....
, the airport scene, in which George Kellerman (Jack Lemmon
Jack Lemmon
John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III was an American actor and musician. He starred in more than 60 films including Some Like It Hot, The Apartment, Mister Roberts , Days of Wine and Roses, The Great Race, Irma la Douce, The Odd Couple, Save the Tiger John Uhler "Jack" Lemmon III (February 8, 1925June...
) and his wife Gwen (Sandy Dennis
Sandy Dennis
Sandra Dale “Sandy” Dennis was an American theater and film actress. In 1966, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.-Early life:...
) depart Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
for New York, was filmed at Long Island MacArthur Airport.
In 2008, several scenes for the independent film Everyday, starring Helen Hunt, Liev Schrieber and Brian Dennehy, were filmed at Long Island MacArthur Airport.
In 2009, Comedy Central filmed promotional commercials for comedian Mike Birbiglia's nationwide tour and television special, I’m in the Future Also.
Scenes for the 2010 FX comedy Louie
Louie (TV series)
Louie is an American comedy television series on the FX network that began airing in 2010. It is written, directed, edited and produced by the show's creator, stand-up comedian Louis C.K., who stars as a fictionalized version of himself, a comedian and newly divorced father raising his two...
were filmed at Long Island MacArthur Airport. In August of 2010, scenes for a documentary about behavioral pharmacologist Victor DeNoble, Addiction, Inc. were also filmed at the airport.
External links
- The official website of Long Island MacArthur Airport http://www.flyLIMA.com