MacArthur: A Welcome Departure

[Gerard]

http://www.newsday.com/news/macarthur-a ... -1.1693291

[NLovis]

Heh If AA and DAL were smart they would fly a few flights in there. Wasnt JetBlue flying there as well? I recall they were.

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

AA and DL both pulled out with DL having done so more recently on April 30, 2008 I believe. NK started at ISP at DL's gate on May 1, 2008. AA pulled ERJ service to ORD in 2004 I believe.

Wouldn't mind seeing DL resume ISP-ATL service soon.

[T-Bird76]

ISP is a joke of an airport and nothing more. They've tried to turn that airport into a major regional airport for over 20 years and it hasn't worked. Making a deal with Southwest was a double edged sword for Islip. While Southwest has invested well over 100 million dollars in ISP they did it to secure the traveling populous of L.I. Its no secret the traffic between NY and Florida make for the busiest routes in the world and Southwest has locked up the market in Suffolk county and ensured the revenue is their own. So while we have Southwest and their reliable service no other airline wants to come in and attempt to take market share from them.

There were plans to turn ISP and the Ronkonkoma train station into a true transportation hub with a north terminal and a direct link between the two facilities. I once saw a scale model of the design and it was infinitely better then the terminal we have now. Even with the investment Southwest made in that terminal it’s such a joke. None of the remodels that have taken place over the years blend with the next.

[Matt Molnar]

Wasnt JetBlue flying there as well? I recall they were.

No, you might be thinking of Spirit.

[NLovis]

I recall they were. When my grandfather got sick in P.R. my mom flew in to mac. I miss him.

[hiss srq]

JetBlue has ran a few charters at best out of there. I miss PanAmII/Carnival. Those were always fun colors to see there. Even better was USAir mainline with DC9's, Fokker F-100's and a mix of 737 types. I remember the days when AA flew MD's and F100's there even. Those were the days. Now that 1 class no class carrier has the airport all to themselves though.

[NIKV69]

tried to turn that airport into a major regional airport for over 20 years and it hasn't worked.

Yep and the fact the developments around the airport won't allow for the runway expansion to accomadate bigger aircraft it never will. It's a shame.

no other airline wants to come in and attempt to take market share from them.

Nobody can. It's a shame if bigger aircraft could fly in and out ISP could really be good but it's stuck as a secondary RJ, 737 airfield.

[hiss srq]

And I don't think there is enough demand really because of the way Southwest fly's from ISP to support much bigger than 737's. At one time EA flew 757's BOS-ISP-FLL-ISP-BOS all the time through ISP.

[NLovis]

tried to turn that airport into a major regional airport for over 20 years and it hasn't worked.

Yep and the fact the developments around the airport won't allow for the runway expansion to accomadate bigger aircraft it never will. It's a shame.

[quote:3750xwcf]no other airline wants to come in and attempt to take market share from them.

Nobody can. It's a shame if bigger aircraft could fly in and out ISP could really be good but it's stuck as a secondary RJ, 737 airfield.[/quote:3750xwcf]
they could probably fit the dogs in there as well

[T-Bird76]

tried to turn that airport into a major regional airport for over 20 years and it hasn't worked.

Yep and the fact the developments around the airport won't allow for the runway expansion to accomadate bigger aircraft it never will. It's a shame.

The runway there is large enough to support larger aircraft, its 7002 feet long, 2 feet longer the LGA's runways.

[hiss srq]

Even at 7,000 and change you can get most modern jets in and out of there. Heck, lightly loaded 747's can get in and out of that runway if you wanted to so a heavy loaded Airbus or a 757 could defineately do the job on all but the hottest summer days I would venture. No one wants to go head to head though and the primary markets from Long Island are mostly to Florida for snow birds and Disney goers etc. I am sure though that somthing like a Nassau flight could make a mint there though. Everyone and their mother wants to go to Nassau in the winter lolol.

[Matt Molnar]

Still waiting for Ryanair's DUB-ISP service. :D

[lijk604]

Even at 7,000 and change you can get most modern jets in and out of there. Heck, lightly loaded 747's can get in and out of that runway if you wanted to so a heavy loaded Airbus or a 757 could defineately do the job on all but the hottest summer days I would venture.

You are forgetting one small item. Just because a runway is a certain length, doesn't mean it is RATED for the heavier weights. As per the FAA-AFD (Airport Facility Directory) ISP cannot handle an aircraft over 300,000lbs. So, a 757-200 is the biggest you will see there.

Runway 6/24
Dimensions: 7006 x 150 ft. / 2135 x 46 m
Surface: asphalt/grooved, in excellent condition
Weight bearing capacity:
Single wheel: 100.0
Double wheel: 210.0
Double tandem: 300.0

[Art at ISP]

I have seen old generation DC-8's at ISP, and I THINK Northeastern brought the A300 there a few times...so there has been some widebody activity at ISP.

I specifically remember watching a loaded DC-8 take off in the mid 80's....could have clipped the roofs of cars climbing out from 24.....

Boy I am old.....I just remembered--I learned to fly at Zahn's!!!!