- The low numbers:
Long Island MacArthur, which belongs to the city of Assilip since its creation, is in a vicious circle. Airlines were reluctant to provide the service due to the shortage of passengers, while passengers were reluctant to use the airport because the airlines were not providing the requested service. In the last five years, this phenomenon has been hampered by a lack.
Although an average of 1.8 million passengers a year in the Nassau and Suffolk area average 3.7 flights a year, these favorable developments end here with only 25% of trips made by MacArthur Travel. If the service is considered uninterrupted, the number increases to 50%. These statistics highlight the benefits of freight forwarders when they offer them.
Over the five-year period from 2007 to 2012, the number of annual departures increased from 14,784 to 7,930, the largest decline at any medium-sized US airport. UU., Which effectively reduced the Long Island facilities to the year 1999 set by Southwest Airlines. The last growth cycle has been highlighted.
In addition to the stagnation and rising fuel costs, such as these other stations, they have always been forced to operate in the three major airports in New York and therefore depend largely on the same market, but depend almost entirely on a single company, the southwest. , of. In addition, the increasing trend towards airline integration means that in the past, fewer air traffic service providers are operating almost entirely from the airport, while current fuel prices have an impact on the economy. functioning of the common system of unprofitable regional reactors. This led to the withdrawal of the airlines that once provided vital commodities, such as Atlantic Southeast (ASA) in Atlanta, Comair in Cincinnati and Continental Express in Cleveland.
Due to the transition of commercial philosophy from underdeveloped and crowded secondary airports and passenger demand for a significant market presence, the Southwest project has progressively increased the assets of small town aircraft to the core revenue. . dismantled. Much of the Islip market has been grown during this process.
In light of this assessment, the Southwest indicated that this strategy reflected changes in the system as a whole rather than those limited to MacArthur.
However, the Long Island market includes factors that go beyond the industry as a whole. Driven by Lagardia’s new airport openings following the acquisition of AirTran, the southwest has increased the same frequencies and the most efficient airport destinations.
After making up to 34 trips a day from Long Island, he gradually reduced his presence and suspended his services in two of his major cities, Nashville and Las Vegas. This has removed the links of the airlines that represent them.
When Chicago’s Midway service was discontinued and transferred to LaGuardia in June 2012, the number of flights was reduced by almost half to 18.
Although attributed to the reactivation of the airport, it is now, in many ways, the obstacle to its growth. Because of its dominance and its small structure, it deterred other airlines from considering the service there, particularly on the roads, for example. In Florida, where they keep the monopoly. However, like a cable car, city officials have always made great efforts to maintain close relations with the airline because the future of the airport depends on it.
However, this future depends on more than the number of flights and passengers. It also depends on finances and these were not optimistic. As a result, the airport lost nearly $ 4.2 million over three years, from 2010 to 2012, forcing it to use funds from the sale of an $ 11 million package to the roads. of Long Island Iron in 2009 to offset the deficit.
But we need much broader strategies to change course. Is there anything because of the prevailing conditions?