NY Senator Asks CBP to Help Long Island Airport Secure Customs Facilities
Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer is asking CBP to help develop a customs facility at MacArthur Airport in his home state of New York, a move he says would increase airport traffic and give local residents easier access to international flights. The Long Island airport is developing a plan to retrofit its current facilities to allow for flights from certain international destinations to land, Schumer said in a June 12 statement (here). That plan must be approved by CBP. “A customs facility at MacArthur could be a magnet for new carriers, helping the airport regain some of its lost flights and giving Long Islanders direct access to some of the most popular tourist destinations,” said Schumer. “The feds can make this happen, and I’m asking them to work hand-in-glove with the local airport authorities to produce a plan and get it through the approval process.”
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Some international airlines, including Interjet and FlyA, have expressed interest in using MacArthur Airport if it had the capability, Schumer said. For MacArthur to become an international airport, it must secure CBP approval and then create an “AG room” in the facility, for officials from Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The airport has suffered major losses in recent years: commercial departures dropped more than 46 percent since 2007, Schumer said. “The loss of flights is particularly devastating as the airport is a major employer and serves as an economic engine for the region,” he said in a letter to CBP Acting Commissioner Thomas Winkowski.