Port Authority to take over SWF

From a UPI report tonight:

N.Y. Port Authority to buy Stewart Airport

NEW YORK, Jan. 24 (UPI) -- The New York area's airport operator will vote to buy the lease to operate Stewart International Airport north of the city, a report said Wednesday night. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's board will vote Thursday to buy the lease from Britain's National Express Corp. for $78.5 million, the Mid-Hudson News Service reported.

The Port Authority -- which operates Kennedy International, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International airports -- expects to close on the lease purchase by October. The purchase is intended to relieve air traffic and airport overcrowding in the New York metropolitan area.

New York state has legislation to permit the transaction. New Jersey would have to adopt similar legislation, which is not expected to be an issue, the news service said. The Port Authority earlier set aside $150 million to develop a fourth passenger airport to serve the New York metropolitan region, and singled out Stewart -- 55 miles north of New York City in Newburgh, N.Y. -- as the fourth airport's most likely site.

http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?S ... 3347-5761r

This is big news for the area. Its really anyones guess as how they will develope the airport. This is very interesting.

JFK, LGA, EWR, TEB and now SWF? wow...

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Originally Posted by cancidas

JFK, LGA, EWR, TEB and now SWF? wow...

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and, don't forget JRB. :D

I bet the Port can develop this airport without renaming it. :D

Tom

Congrats to my local airport!

So much for Pataki's Euro-style privatization drive. SWF is a nice regional airport, but it will never be a viable option for NYC area residents unless a rail line or frequent bus service to and from the city is put on. Using the logic behind this transaction, the PA might as well also take over HPN and ISP. Smacks to me of PA bureaucrats trying to expand their fiefdom with taxpayer money. Anyone know how much of a profit the Brits will make on this deal? They apparently paid only $35m for a 99 year lease (of which 7 have elapsed) plus percentage of revenues. For some backstory, see here:

http://worcesterma.blogspot.com/2006/12 ... -port.html

You guys act like this is good news. :(

This is total disaster!
Oh the horror!!
Senga

Made it to the 10:00 Fox 5 News however the story was about 10 seconds.

I think this is another big waste of loot for the NYNJPA but they have a bit of a history of doing that.

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Originally Posted by SengaB

You guys act like this is good news. :(

This is total disaster!
Oh the horror!!
Senga

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Why?

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Originally Posted by GothamSpotter

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Originally Posted by SengaB

You guys act like this is good news. :(

This is total disaster!
Oh the horror!!
Senga

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Why?

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Senga loves the airport and how beautiful it is so I am assuming he feels that it might destroy its beauty?

Knowing the PANYNJ like I do the progress should be slow as they talk everything to death.

I've always wondered why UK charter airlines don't fly to SWF as it is the closest international airport to Woodbury Common!

Gordon,
Yes I love SWF its situated perfectly. Its a nice and quiet yet large airport that quietly get awsome arrivals when it does gets something good. Its also a great place to fly into. By the PAPD coming to SWF it all of a sudden has a chance of becoming just another NYC airport and the culture of the PAPD and those associated with it has a good chance of turning it into another hostile unfriendly airport for photogs as it is at every other airport they are at.
Senga

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Originally Posted by SengaB

Gordon,
Yes I love SWF its situated perfectly. Its a nice and quiet yet large airport that quietly get awsome arrivals when it does gets something good. Its also a great place to fly into. By the PAPD coming to SWF it all of a sudden has a chance of becoming just another NYC airport and the culture of the PAPD and those associated with it has a good chance of turning it into another hostile unfriendly airport for photogs as it is at every other airport they are at.
Senga

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My dad and I thought about that as well, the unfriednly attitude towards photogs.

I assume the ANG will mantain their operations at SWF even with this buyout... Correct?

Even though I've never been to SWF in a mode of transportation other than a Bonanza, my first thought was that Stewart would become another paradise along the lines of all the other pieces of property that the Port has its hands in.

Back in the day, when I flew right seat (read: fiddled with the radios and kept traffic watch, mostly because I couldn't see out the windshield!) in the Beech, we used to head up to Stewart all the time for touch-and-gos. That ~12000' strip is pretty much the longest piece of civil asphalt that's not JFK anywhere around NYC.

How is the transit situation at SWF currently for non-local residents? Some years ago, my colleague and I got the last rental car available after coming in on a Citation that was diverted due to weather at HPN. Had it not been for the rental car, we would have been looking at a very expensive taxi ride back to Manhattan. Is the public transit situation any better today, is there any bus to NYC or at least a bus to the Metro-North?

You dad is on the right track. Lets see what happens?

Senga