Nolan Hails FAA Decision that Designates
MacArthur As an Official New York Metro Airport
Ronkonkoma, NY (February 2, 2021) - Islip Town Supervisor Phil Nolan today hailed as a “crucial milestone” the official designation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that Long Island MacArthur Airport is now a New York airport.
For decades, the airport has been listed in the Federal Aviation Administration’s quarterly directory of airport facilities as an airport serving Islip Town. The FAA’s 2011 quarterly directory now puts MacArthur in the same category with Kennedy and LaGuardia airports. In June 2010, Nolan wrote a letter to the FAA requesting the change, arguing that the airport is a regional transportation hub whose catchment area extends well beyond the bounds of Islip Town.
“For generations of travelers, MacArthur has been their commercial airport of choice. With the FAA decision to designate New York as the airport’s “associated city” there is recognition of the airport’s significance to the region, and an opportunity to leverage that association for expanded air service and passenger growth,” said Nolan.
“This is a big breakthrough” said Airport Commissioner Teresa Rizzuto. “It opens up great opportunities to attract more customers looking to fly into the New York area, and in turn, attract new airlines.”
In time, Rizzuto expects travel sites to be updated to reflect the change and MacArthur will appear in searches for airports serving New York. “Those other airports are bursting at the seams,” Nolan said. “It’s time more business travelers and tourists know that the most convenient airport in the New York area is only fifty miles from Manhattan.”
The associated city designation is one the FAA assigns to every airport in the country. It is published quarterly in the FAA’s Airport Facilities Directory (Northeast U. S.) and was changed this year in the directory published for January through March 2011. Primarily used by pilots, airport operators, general aviation companies and others in the aviation industry, the directory is a major reference source to obtain information about airports. It includes many specific details about each airport, including size of airport, runway lengths, and type of aircraft that can be accommodated.
Rizzuto credited the local FAA airport district and flight safety offices with helping to implement the change. She added that the Long Island Congressional delegation also provided valuable letters of support.
As the Town of Islip seeks to expand airline choices for the traveling public, both Nolan and Rizzuto stressed that LIMA will continue to embrace their “good neighbor” policy that seeks to protect the quality of life of those communities surrounding the airport.
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