An airport has been granted approval to have its name changed as it readies to undergo a $30 million expansion, which includes nearly 20,000 square feet of space to be added to the existing terminal; as well as a permanent United States Customs and Border Protection inspection area to handle its significant increase of international passengers during the past year.
Another Airport to Change Its Name
That airport is currently known as Stewart International Airport, which is located west of Newburgh in New York; but its name is expected to change to New York International at Stewart Field: “Following a breakout 2017 in which passenger volumes at the Hudson Valley airport rose 62 percent, Port Authority Commissioners also approved giving the agency’s Executive Director the authority to proceed with efforts to potentially change the airport’s name as part of a rebranding initiative aimed at increasing its appeal as a travel option to the New York metropolitan region, especially for foreign travelers”, according to this official press release from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees the operations of the airport. “Additionally, with the goal of increasing private flight activity at Stewart by as much as 20 percent, the Board authorized an agreement with Signature Flight Support to build a new hangar dedicated to private planes.”
Stewart International Airport has two runways which are both 150 feet wide and were completely repaved in 2014: one which is 11,817 feet in length; and the other which is 6,004 feet long. The airport has the capability of handling Group VI aircraft; and it also serves as an efficient diversion airport.
Statistics from the press release indicate that in 2017, “nearly 450,000 commercial airline passengers used Stewart International Airport, including 141,000 international fliers, up from approximately 275,000 total passengers in 2016.”
Additionally, a carport — equipped with a solar panel roof which will cover 450 parking spaces — is expected to create 1.9 megawatts of electrical power once it is built, which will be used to offset energy costs at the expanded terminal.
Norwegian Air is primarily responsible for adding a significant amount of international service to the airport, as it launched the following flights between Newburgh and:
- Edinburgh, with daily flights which started on Thursday, June 15, 2017 all year long
- Belfast, with weekly flights three times per week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday which started on Saturday, July 1, 2017; with a winter frequency of twice per week
- Shannon, with weekly flights twice per week on Wednesday and Sunday which started on Sunday, July 2, 2017; with a winter frequency of twice per week
- Dublin, with daily flights which started on Saturday, July 1, 2017; with a winter frequency of three times per week
Summary
Newburgh is approximately 60 miles due north of New York City; and a minimum of 75 minutes is needed to drive between Manhattan and Newburgh…
…but what if the name is unofficially shortened to New York International by people who do not want to go through the entire proposed name of the new airport? That would most likely create confusion, in my opinion. As I mentioned in this article, I personally believe that John F. Kennedy International Airport should go by its original name: New York International Airport. The name says it all. It is simple and to the point.. After all, if Bob Hope Airport can have its name changed back to Hollywood Burbank Airport, other airports should follow suit and be named after the locations in which they serve.
If the name of the airport is to be changed, why not call it Hudson Valley International Airport; Mid-Hudson Valley International Airport; or simply Newburgh International Airport? I can understand why the airport wants to have New York in its official name, which is to suggest that it is a viable alternative to the other five commercial airports which serve the greater New York metropolitan area — not to mention that it is located in the state of New York.
I do not believe that airports should be named after people; but I suppose the name of what is currently Stewart International Airport could be worse: it could be called Obama International Airport…
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