Airports to set new passenger record

Despite the recently thwarted terrorist plot to blow up 10 planes en route from Britain to America, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced that record numbers of travelers are traveling through its three airports, and will probably outpace pre-9/11 traffic.
&#8220Increased air passenger traffic is a strong economic stimulus, so it's more important than ever for us to continue focusing resources on our airports to ensure they remain vibrant, world-class facilities that provide the traveling public with the best in service, safety, and security,” said Port Authority Chairman Anthony R. Coscia.
If so, the numbers at John F. Kennedy (JFK) and LaGuardia (LAG) airports indicate that New York is doing great. Port Authority reports that JFK handled more than 20 million passengers and LAG served nearly 13 million.
Overall, passenger traffic for the region through the first six months of 2006 is up 4.5 percent from the same period last year. Newark Airport leads the Port Authority's three airports with 17.7 million passengers served in the first half of this year. The Port Authority projects about 103.5 million passengers will use their facilities in 2006.
According to Pasquale DiFulco, spokesperson for the Port Authority, airport travel in the rest of the country is quite different, never having recovered from September 11's sharp drop. The record also speaks to the air travel industry's resilience, bouncing back from the Iranian hostage crisis in the 1970's, the recession in the 1980's and now with the War in Iraq it remains a vital business.
DiFulco also gives credit for the increase in passengers to the Port Authority's AirTrain service to JFK allowing easier and more affordable access to the airport, streamlining parking and congested traffic. &#8220It is certainly significant, JFK is only 16 miles from Manhattan, but before the AirTrain for many it felt like it was on the other side of the world,” said DiFulco.
Established in 2003 the AirTrain is an eight-mile light rail system that travels to and from the Long Island Rail Road station in Jamaica and the subway station in Howard Beach. AirTrain also provides for more convenient travel within John F. Kennedy airport itself, delivering passengers free of charge to airline terminals, parking lots, hotel shuttle areas, and rental car facilities.
&#8220We're especially pleased to see record ridership on our AirTrain mass-transit rail systems at Kennedy and Newark airports,” said Port Authority Executive Director Kenneth J. Ringler. &#8220Paid ridership on AirTrain JFK for the first six months of the year was up nearly 14 percent from the same period in 2005.”