NewYork, Newark (EWR/KEWR) NJ, USA
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Newark Liberty is the second-largest hub for Continental Airlines, which is the airport's largest tenant (operating all of Terminal C and part of Terminal A). FedEx Express operates one of their ten major cargo hubs at Newark.
Newark Airport was the first major airport in the New York area: it opened on October 1, 1928,
Newark was temporarily closed to passenger traffic and taken over by the United States Army for logistics operations during World War II.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey took over the airport in 1948 and made major investments in airport infrastructure, opening new runways and hangars and revamping the airport's terminal layout. Airline traffic resumed that year. The art deco Administration Building served as the main terminal until the opening of the North Terminal in 1953, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
Newark expanded dramatically in the 1980s. People Express struck a deal with the Port Authority to use the North Terminal as both its air terminal and corporate office in 1981 and began operations at Newark that year.
It quickly rose to become one of the largest American airlines, steadily increasing Newark's traffic in the first half of the 1980s. Virgin Atlantic Airways began flights from Newark to London in 1984, challenging JFK's status as New York's international gateway
In 2001, Newark Liberty International Airport became the terminus of the world's longest non-stop scheduled airline route, Continental's service to Hong Kong
DSp Pictures Year Minolta Spot location Film Scan 1987 & 88
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Inside the plane, new terminal and old (broken now)
When People Express was merged into Continental in 1987, the now-demolished North Terminal was shuttered forever. Newark, however, remained a hub for Continental, which operated out of Terminal B until the opening of Terminal C in 1988.
Today, Continental has its Global Gateway at Terminal C, having completed a major expansion project that included the construction of a new, third concourse and a new Federal Inspection Services facility. With its Newark hub, Continental is the largest provider of air service to the New York metropolitan area.
The main building of Terminal C was completed at the same time, but only metal framing work was done on the terminal's satellites, and it lay dormant until the mid-1980s, when for a brief time a small portion of the terminal was used for People Express' international arrivals. Terminal C was fully completed and opened to the public in June, 1988.
Newark Liberty is the second-largest hub, after George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, for Continental Airlines, which is the airport's largest tenant (operating all of Terminal C and part of Terminal A). Primarily due to this large hub operation, Continental Airlines is by far the leading carrier in the New York market. Newark's second largest tenant is FedEx Express, which operates its third largest cargo hub from the airport. FedEx operates from three buildings on two million square feet within the airport complex.
In 2008, Newark Airport handled slightly more than 35.4 million passengers, compared with JFK's 47.8 million and LaGuardia's 23.1 million. In total over 107 million passengers used New York-area airports in 2008, making the New York-area the busiest airport system in the United States in terms of passenger numbers and second in the world behind London.
Newark Airport was the first major airport in the New York area: it opened on October 1, 1928, occupying an area of New Jersey marshland filled with dredged soil.
In 1935, Amelia Earhart dedicated the Newark Airport Administration Building, which was North America's first commercial airline terminal (Croydon Aerodrome, south of London, was the world's first, predating Newark by seven years). Newark was the busiest airport in the world until LaGuardia Airport opened in 1939, dividing New York's air traffic and allowing Chicago Midway International Airport to take the lead. Newark was temporarily closed to passenger traffic and taken over by the United States Army for logistics operations during World War II.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey took over the airport in 1948 and made major investments in airport infrastructure, opening new runways and hangars and revamping the airport's terminal layout. Airline traffic resumed that year. The art deco Administration Building served as the main terminal until the opening of the North Terminal in 1953, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
In the 1950s, there were suggestions to move the airport after two crashes within a month occurred at nearby Elizabeth, New Jersey. A new international airport to serve the New York City area would have been built in what is now the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, however local protests defeated the plan.
In the 1970s, the airport underwent a significant enlargement, including the construction of the current Terminals A, B, and C, and was renamed Newark International Airport. Terminals A and B opened in 1973, although some charter and international flights requiring customs clearance remained at the North Terminal. The main building of Terminal C was completed at the same time, but only metal framing work was done on the terminal's satellites, and it lay dormant until the mid-1980s, when for a brief time the west third of the terminal was equipped for international arrivals and used for certain People Express transcontinental flights. Terminal C was fully completed and opened to the public in June 1988.
Underutilized throughout the 1970s, Newark expanded dramatically in the 1980s. People Express struck a deal with the Port Authority to use the North Terminal as both its air terminal and corporate office in 1981 and began operations at Newark that year. It quickly rose to become one of the largest American airlines, steadily increasing Newark's traffic in the through most of the 1980s. Virgin Atlantic Airways began flights from Newark to London in 1984, challenging JFK's status as New York's international gateway (however, Virgin Atlantic now has more flights going out of JFK than out of Newark). Federal Express (Now known as FedEx Express) opened its second hub at the airport in 1986. When People Express was merged into Continental in 1987, operations at the North Terminal were greatly reduced, and the building was demolished to make way for cargo facilities in the early 1990s. Newark has remained a hub for Continental.
Today, Continental has its Global Gateway at Terminal C, having completed a major expansion project that included the construction of a new, third concourse and a new Federal Inspection Services facility. With its Newark hub, Continental is the largest provider of air service to the New York metropolitan area.
United Airlines Flight 93 pushed back from gate A17 at 8:01 am, on its way from Newark to San Francisco International Airport, on September 11, 2001. Two hours later it would crash into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, when passengers attempted to take over the plane from a team of hijackers. Based on the direction that the plane was flying at the time and information gathered afterwards, most observers believe that the hijackers intended to crash the plane into a target in Washington, D.C., such as the Capitol or White House. In memory of this event, the airport's name was changed from Newark International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport. This name was chosen over the initial proposal, Liberty International Airport at Newark, and refers to the landmark Statue of Liberty, just 7 miles (11 km) east of the airport. Despite the name change few locals call it by its new name. The name most often used by locals is "Newark Airport" or simply "Newark".
Further information: September 11, 2001 attacks
In 2001, Newark Liberty International Airport became the terminus of the world's longest non-stop scheduled airline route, Continental's service to Hong Kong. In 2004, Singapore Airlines broke Continental's record by starting non-stop 18-hour flights to Singapore from Newark. Continental began flying from Newark to Beijing on June 15, 2005 and Delhi on November 1, 2005. When these services began, Continental became for a time the only airline to serve India nonstop from the United States, and the third U.S. carrier, after United and Northwest to serve mainland China nonstop and the first U.S. carrier to offer nonstop flights to Beijing from New York. On July 16, 2007, Continental Airlines announced that it would seek government approval for nonstop flights between Newark and Shanghai in 2009. In September 2007, the United States Department of Transportation tentatively awarded Continental the right to fly to Shanghai from Newark beginning March 25, 2009 using Boeing 777-200ER aircraft
Incidents and accidents
- On July 31, 1997, FedEx Flight 14, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, crashed during landing from Anchorage International Atacted the runway during a rh landing which caused the aircraft to flip upside down, after which it was destroyed by fire. The two crewmembers and three passengers escaped uninjured.
- On September 11, 2001 United Airlines Flight 93 to San Francisco International Airport was hijacked as part of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The passengers revolted forcing the hijackers to crash the aircraft into an empty field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
- On October 28, 2006, Continental Airlines Flight 1883, a Boeing 757-200, mistakenly landed on Taxiway Z instead of Runway 29. There were no reported injuries or damage from the incident. Both pilots were required by the airline to retrain before being allowed to fly with the airline again.
- February 12, 2009, Colgan Air Flight 3407 a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 operating under contract with Continental Connection crashed into a home in Clarence Center, New York. The flight was scheduled to arrive at Buffalo Niagara International Airport and was approximately six miles away from the airport when it crashed. All 49 passengers and crew members on board the aircraft and one person on the ground perished in the incident