HORSEHEADS — The Elmira Corning Regional Airport now has a larger terminal with about 60 percent more floor space, 300 additional parking spaces, and new food and beverage options. Those components are part of a newly completed $61.5 million renovation project “that will ease travel and promote economic opportunities for the entire Southern Tier,” the […]
HORSEHEADS — The Elmira Corning Regional Airport now has a larger terminal with about 60 percent more floor space, 300 additional parking spaces, and new food and beverage options.
Those components are part of a newly completed $61.5 million renovation project “that will ease travel and promote economic opportunities for the entire Southern Tier,” the state says.
With the project complete, the terminal’s floor size has increased from 55,000 square feet to 88,000 square feet.
The airport now also features a new baggage claim belt to handle increased volume, as well as strengthened security measures, including cameras, to better monitor passenger areas.
It has an additional jet bridge that will eliminate the need for travelers to walk across the tarmac to reach their planes.
Built in 1960, the original airport was “cramped and outdated, and lacked basic passenger amenities,” including the ability for passengers to purchase food or beverages after passing through security. The airport’s two jet bridges were also “too low” to accommodate larger aircraft, forcing passengers to walk onto the tarmac to board their flights, the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a news release issued Nov. 2.
The Elmira Corning Regional Airport averages eight arrivals and eight departures daily. Delta, Allegiant, and United are among the carriers that operate flights from the airport. The airport had 126,427 enplanements during 2017 and is on pace to exceed 140,000 in 2018.
The facility’s redevelopment was part of the state’s Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization competition.
The initiative seeks to “enhance safety and economic development, improve operations and access, reduce environmental impact, and create a better passenger experience.”
“This significant investment to modernize the Elmira Corning Regional Airport will increase terminal space and enhance the overall travel experience,” Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul, who attended the opening, said in the release. “The airport was small and outdated, but with these improvements it will offer green space and food and beverage options for passengers. The transformation of the airport continues our economic development efforts in the Southern Tier to boost the economy and attract more visitors to the area.”
A new Taste NY grab-and-go kiosk “promotes” New York’s food and beverage producers and provides travelers the “opportunity to purchase locally-made snacks, coffee, tea and dairy products in addition to gift items like maple, honey and concord grape products,” the state says.