Southwest Airlines to Build Four New Gates at Islip, N.Y., Airport

Southwest Airlines, one of the few profitable carriers in an industry plagued by bankruptcies, yesterday announced plans to build four more gates at Long Island MacArthur Airport as part of a $71-million expansion program.

The Dallas-based airline, already the largest operator at the Ronkonkoma airport, will have eight gates once the construction is completed sometime in 2006. Southwest, which now has 26 daily departures from Islip town-owned MacArthur, could have as many as 80 per day several years from now, airline officials said. Construction is scheduled to begin next year.

Southwest's expansion comes at a time when the airline industry, which has been struggling from a downturn in travel since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, also is suffering from mounting fuel costs. Also, big airlines are fighting to maintain market share against low-cost carriers.

"We think we'll be able to make a profit," Southwest chairman Herb Kelleher said. Southwest, which has experienced 30 years of profitability, is looking to the future, he said.

Kelleher was at MacArthur to announce plans for the new gates as well as to dedicate a 114,254-square-foot terminal named for Islip Town Supervisor Peter J. McGowan.

The cost of the recently completed terminal was estimated at about $51 million and the four additional gates are expected to cost another $20 million. Southwest paid for the expansion.

Southwest, which began operations at MacArthur in 1999 with 12 daily departures, has been a boon to the airport, which had been struggling in recent years. MacArthur also is served by Continental Express, Delta's Comair and Atlantic Southeast Airlines units, and US Airways Express. American Eagle halted service -- it flew three daily flights to Boston's Logan Airport -- a few weeks ago. Delta Express ended its two daily Florida round trips in 2003.

McGowan, who was among the most instrumental of local and state officials in bringing Southwest to MacArthur, said, jokingly, that only a few years ago he had never even heard of the low-cost carrier. He met with Kelleher, and the two agreed on MacArthur as a destination for Southwest.

The proposed expansion did not come as good news to a local civic group that has been fighting MacArthur's expansion.

"This is very bad news for our community," said Deborah Slinkosky, president of the 250-member Citizens for the Enforcement of MacArthur Airport Control, noting that increased noise generated by the airport "is very bad news for our school district. This doesn't give us quality of life. Everything that has happened with the expansion has been detrimental to the community."

McGowan could not be reached for comment on the group's complaints.