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Among "international" airports, which is the least international?

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Among "international" airports, which is the least international?

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Old Oct 14, 2007, 11:24 pm
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Among "international" airports, which is the least international?

My native Milwaukee includes the obligatory "international" in the name of its airport. But do a few flights to Canada really make it an international airport?

I'm sure there are even more dubious examples of supposedly international airports. Any nominations?
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Old Oct 15, 2007, 12:09 am
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I nominate TIA- Tucson international airport. They have one flight a day to Hermosillo, Mexico so technically it is international.
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Old Oct 15, 2007, 12:22 am
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Off the top of my head, BTV, which currently has no scheduled
int'l flights but does have a CBP office.
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Old Oct 15, 2007, 12:25 am
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ITO currently has no scheduled international flights, and hasn't, I understand, in many years.
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Old Oct 15, 2007, 12:40 am
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RST is designated as an international airport. I think it was for the convenience of the King of Jordan and other very wealthy international visitors arriving to the Mayo Clinic for medical treatment. This International Airport has 3 gates in one building and is a tiny airport. Yet, it does have a customs facilility (or so I've been told). There are 2 airlines (NW and AA) which have a few flights a day and no regularly scheduled international flights. Yet it is called Rochester International Airport.
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Old Oct 15, 2007, 1:31 am
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Jacksonville "international" Airport (Jax)
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Old Oct 15, 2007, 1:36 am
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Also Yuma International Airport.

Flights from/to PHX, LAX, LAS and in December SLC.

Interestingly, it has a Customs station.

It's also the only airport that I've ever been in where I was the last passenger to leave the terminal one night -- and they locked the door behind me.
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Old Oct 15, 2007, 2:03 am
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MAF and IFP.

As for the int'l designation, cargo is where a lot of these tiny airports qualify.
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Old Oct 15, 2007, 3:12 am
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Originally Posted by obscure2k
RST is designated as an international airport. I think it was for the convenience of the King of Jordan and other very wealthy international visitors arriving to the Mayo Clinic for medical treatment.
Doesn't this imply that any airport can be an international airport if it's willing to accept the flight of someone in a private jet from outside the US and let the passengers disembark?

I'd never thought about this before, actually -- are folks from overseas with private planes allowed to land at any airport in the US if they have a passport/visa/proper paperwork? Even if the airport doesn't have a customs office in it?
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Old Oct 15, 2007, 5:24 am
  #10  
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CBR International Airport, Canberra maybe the nation's capital but doesn't currently have any international flights.

They want to but can't find anywhere to go and make a profit.
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Old Oct 15, 2007, 5:52 am
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I nominate MSV -- Sullivan County International Airport in White Lake, NY. It has no scheduled service at all, and has never been an airport of entry. However, after it opened in the late 1960's, it briefly had scheduled service to/from YYZ on Mohawk (on Convair 440's, I think), with inbound passengers pre-clearing US customs and immigration at YYZ.
The airport's fate may improve if casino gambling ever comes to the Catskills.
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Old Oct 15, 2007, 5:56 am
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Rdu/ilm

ILM has an int'l customs ramp and no int'l flight. Mainly used for private jets.

However, among the actual airports with int'l flights, I would say that RDU is one of the smallest. Has 3 flights a day to YYZ and 1 flight a day to LGW (soon to be LHR)

Don't know if any airports that don't have scheduled int'l flight actually qualify.

-AirBrit
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Old Oct 15, 2007, 6:20 am
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The US in particular has many International Airports that do not appear to justify their name. It seems this designation is given to any airport where customs/immigration officials may work, even though these may have to be requested in advance and travel specially from another location. The flights in question may not be commercial, but just General Aviation.
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Old Oct 15, 2007, 6:23 am
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Add my own local LBB, which recently changed its name from Lubbock International Airport to Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport. Hasn't had an international flight in about 30 years.
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Old Oct 15, 2007, 7:39 am
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Good point about BTV, I hadn't even thought about it. But I wouldn't be surprised that it's for private aviation that's inbound from Canada.

On the flip side... I saw a AF 777 land at CAE... Refuel... and leave. ATL was backed up that day.

JP
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