Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP/KISP)

 airport, island

The airport began in 1942 as three paved runways built by the Civil Aeronautics Administration (predecessor of the Federal Aviation Administration) during World War II. Lockheed Aircraft Corporation built the first hangar at the airport in 1944. The Town of Islip built a terminal in 1949, after taking the airport back from the Army Air Corps at the end of the war. Through the 1950s, MacArthur was used by Sperry Corporation for aviation research.

Allegheny Airlines was its first commercial airline in 1960, offering flights to Boston, Philadelphia and Washington. The Douglas MacArthur terminal was completed in 1968 and American Airlines began operating non-stop flights to Chicago in 1971. American Eagle did hold non-stop flights to Boston too, but later discontinued service into the airport. Continental Express and Continental Connection flew into the airport as well, offering non-stop flights to Albany and to Cleveland, but pulled out of there in 2004. Spirit Airlines also had scheduled service to Florida and Detroit before they moved their New York destination to LaGuardia Airport in Queens. Currently, Delta and US Airways operate short distance shuttles out of the old B concourse, featuring only one jetway and other gates that board from the tarmac, however only one jetway is really necessary due to light traffic. Delta Express pulled out of Islip in the summer of 2003, after experiencing a decline in passenger traffic, dramatically decreasing passenger traffic at the airport. The airline then ceased operations in November of 2003 after it was replaced by Song Airlines. Delta has previously added service to and from Atlanta on Delta Connection. Southwest Airlines has established service to Florida, Baltimore, Chicago and Las Vegas.

In late September 2007, Ryanair, an Ireland-based airline, proposed to fly between MacArthur Airport and Dublin, Ireland. This will force the airport to build a customs and immigration area and will make MacArthur Airport the second airport in the state of New York having scheduled flights to another continent, the first being John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City.

Airlines Serving Long Island MacArthur:
* Delta Air Lines
o Delta Connection operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines (Atlanta)
o Delta Connection operated by Big Sky Airlines (Boston)
* Southwest Airlines (Baltimore/Washington, Chicago-Midway, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Las Vegas, Orlando, Tampa, West Palm Beach)
* US Airways
o US Airways Express operated by Air Wisconsin (Philadelphia)
o US Airways Express operated by Colgan Air (Boston)
o US Airways Express operated by Piedmont Airlines (Philadelphia)

www.globalair.com/airport/airport.aspx?aptcode=KISP
Official Site - macarthurairport.com/
Airport Information - www.flightcentral.net/airport/KISP
Flight Information - flightaware.com/live/airport/KISP