JetBlue exec visits MacArthur Airport

Dave Barger walked past about 30 passengers waiting to depart Long Island MacArthur Airport Friday and -- introduced as the head of JetBlue -- got a spontaneous round of applause.

Maybe it will help land the airline for the Ronkonkoma facility.

It couldn't hurt. After 3 1/4 hours at the airport, Barger said he received "a very wide welcome mat" as JetBlue mulls opening new service from an airport in the Northeast next year.

No announcement is expected until later this year. Barger said afterward he was impressed by how MacArthur's infrastructure, area demographics -- he noted the growing Latin and Caribbean populations -- and widespread community support dovetailed with the airline's business.

"I look forward to returning here," he said, adding that support from Long Island's business and educational leaders was a consideration as JetBlue weighs its decision.

Barger made the tour as a personal favor to Sen. Charles Schumer, who accompanied him with Richard Smyth, JetBlue's vice president for corporate real estate, director of schedule planning John Checketts and Islip officials.

The group toured as far as the airfield's northern corner, where Barger viewed the proximity to the Long Island Rail Road's Ronkonkoma station and where officials hope an overhead walkway could connect the train station to a new terminal.

Entering the west concourse, the party passed the US Airways passengers, and Schumer, his arm around Barger's shoulder, announced: "Hi folks, this is Dave Barger, chief executive of JetBlue. We're trying to get him to bring his airline here to the airport. What do you think of that?"

The passengers whooped and burst into applause. "The senator's a very good salesman," Barger responded, wishing the crowd a nice weekend; "Go Giants," he said, as the tour continued.

Later, behind closed doors, Barger heard airport officials' pitch what MacArthur and Long Island have to offer.

In an interview, Barger -- who last week toured Providence, R.I.'s, TF Green International Airport -- said a lot about Long Island made sense for his carrier. "We're a public company. First we want profitability . . . but 2.9 million people in Suffolk and Nassau counties, that's a decent-sized city."

The visit was the third JetBlue-MacArthur meeting in 12 months. Last August, airport Commissioner Teresa Rizzuto and then-Supervisor Phil Nolan met with Checketts, and Rizzuto met Checketts at an industry conference in June.

Schumer called MacArthur "the missing piece of the jigsaw" for JetBlue. The Forest Hills-based carrier will move its headquarters to Long Island City in March and its core business is New York and Boston-based -- it flies out of Newark, LaGuardia, Kennedy, Stewart and White Plains, leaving MacArthur the only area airport not yet on board.

"Not only would this mean Long Islanders having to schlep less to LaGuardia and JFK -- it's a great opportunity for JetBlue," Schumer enthused. "I've made the push, it's not a done deal, there's other competition out there, but we think we have the leg up."

Islip Supervisor Tom Croci was pleased. "Mr. Barger and his staff were very gracious to hear our proposal. I hope they would feel welcome to join our MacArthur family, and we look forward to hearing the outcome of their deliberations."