Exploring New Orleans' Airport Code: Why Msy?

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (IATA: MSY) is an international airport in Kenner, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. The airport's IATA code, MSY, is derived from its original name, Moisant Field, and the Moisant Stock Yards, the name given to the land where the airport was built. The stockyards were named after the aviator John Bevins Moisant, who died in 1910 in an airplane crash on the site where the airport is now located.

The airport was originally named Moisant Field

Moisant was born in Kankakee, Illinois, to French-Canadian immigrant parents but lived in El Salvador for around a decade. In 1909, he went to France to investigate aeroplanes at the request of José Santos Zelaya, President of El Salvador. He then went to the Reims Air Meeting in France and became very interested in aviation, taking flying lessons and starting his short but remarkable aviation career.

Moisant won numerous races and contests, but most impressive was his construction and flight of the first all-metal frame aircraft made of aluminium in 1909. The following year, he flew the first flight with passengers across the English Channel. He also participated in the Belmont Air Show at Belmont Park, New York, where he won an $850 prize. A few days later, he competed and won a race around the Statue of Liberty, beating British aviator Claude Grahame-White by 42.75 seconds. However, he was later disqualified because officials ruled that he had started late and never received the $10,000 prize.

After his success, Moisant formed the Moisant International Aviators, a travelling flying circus, with his brother. The troupe flew in air shows in several cities, including Richmond, Virginia; Chattanooga and Memphis, Tennessee; Tupelo, Mississippi; and Kenner, Louisiana.

Tragically, Moisant died on December 31, 1910, in an air crash while making a preparatory flight in his attempt to win the Michelin Cap. His death occurred in the current location of the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

The IATA code MSY was derived from Moisant Stock Yards

The IATA code MSY for the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport was derived from Moisant Stock Yards. The airport was originally named Moisant Field after John Bevins Moisant, a pioneer aviator and daredevil who was known as the "King of Aviators".

Moisant was the first to conduct passenger flights over a city (New York) and the first to fly across the English Channel with a passenger. He travelled to France in 1909 to investigate aeroplanes and became very interested in aviation. He took flying lessons and started his short but remarkable aviation career. He won several races and contests, and built and flew the first all-metal frame aircraft made of aluminium.

Moisant died in 1910 in an aeroplane crash on agricultural land where the airport is now located. The owners of the land wanted to honour him, so they called the stock yards the Moisant Stock Yards, or MSY for short. The airport opened there in 1946, and it made sense to name it after Moisant.

John Bevins Moisant, a pioneer aviator, died in 1910 in an airplane crash on the land where the airport is now located

John Bevins Moisant, born in 1868 in Kankakee, Illinois, was an aviator, aeronautical engineer, flight instructor, businessman, and revolutionary. He was a pioneer aviator, becoming a pilot in 1910 and achieving several feats in his short flying career.

Moisant's interest in aviation began after he attended the Reims Air Meeting in France in 1909. He designed and built two aircraft between 1909 and 1910, including the first all-metal aircraft in the world, before becoming an officially licensed pilot. He was the first pilot to conduct passenger flights over a city (Paris) and across the English Channel, from Paris to London. He also co-founded the Moisant International Aviators, a travelling flying circus, with his brother Alfred.

On December 31, 1910, Moisant died in an airplane crash in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the age of 37. He was competing for the 1910 Michelin Cup when he was caught in a gust of wind and ejected from his airplane. The site of his crash was in what is now the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, originally named Moisant Field in his honour. The airport's identifier, MSY, is derived from Moisant Stock Yards, commemorating Moisant.

The airport is owned by the City of New Orleans and is 11 miles west of downtown New Orleans

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is owned by the City of New Orleans and is located 11 miles west of downtown New Orleans. The airport is named after the famous native-born musician, Louis Armstrong, and was renamed in 2001 to honour the centenary of his birth. The airport's IATA code, MSY, is derived from its original name, Moisant Field, and the Moisant Stock Yards, the name given to the land where the aviator John Bevins Moisant crashed in 1910. The airport was established on this site in 1946.

The City of New Orleans has owned the airport since its inception, with the exception of a brief period during World War II when the land was taken over by the U.S. Government for use as an air base. The airport is an important transportation hub for the city and the surrounding region, serving as the primary commercial airport for the New Orleans metropolitan area and southeast Louisiana.

The history of the airport's location dates back to the 1930s when the City of New Orleans recognised the need for a larger airport to accommodate its growing air transportation needs. The previous municipal airport, located on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain, was no longer sufficient to meet the city's demands. Plans for a new airport began in 1940, and the site in Kenner, Louisiana, was chosen due to its proximity to the city and its accessibility.

The airport has undergone several expansions and renovations since its establishment. In 1959, a new terminal and two new concourses were added, and the airport's name was changed to New Orleans International Airport. Further expansions took place in the 1970s, including the addition of two new concourses and improvements to the terminal and access roads.

In recent years, the airport has continued to invest in its facilities to accommodate increasing passenger traffic and demand. In 2019, a new $1.3 billion terminal opened, featuring modern design elements that pay homage to the culture, geography, and history of New Orleans. The new terminal includes expanded concourses, improved security checkpoints, and a diverse range of concessions showcasing the city's culinary and artistic heritage.

The airport is the fifth fastest-growing airport in the US

The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is the fifth fastest-growing airport in the US. The airport's growth is impressive, especially considering the sharp drop in tourism the city experienced in the post-Hurricane Katrina years. In 2016, the airport served a record 11.1 million total passengers, a 4% increase from the previous year. This growth is due in part to the airport's ability to accommodate an increasing number of domestic and international flights. In 2018, MSY served 16 airlines with 56 nonstop destinations and 8 non-stop international destinations. On average, 156 flights departed from the airport daily.

The airport's new North Terminal, which opened in 2019, has also contributed to its growth. The $1.3 billion terminal features 35 gates and replaces the previous terminal, which had become too small to handle the increasing passenger traffic. The new terminal is designed to immerse visitors in the culture, geography, and history of New Orleans, with features such as a jazz garden and a glass-sealed image of live oak trees in the main elevator.

The need for a larger terminal became apparent in the mid-1930s when the municipal airport on the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain could no longer accommodate the growing air transportation needs of the city. The construction of a new airport began in the 1940s, but it was interrupted by World War II when the land was taken over by the US government for use as an air base. After the war, the land was returned to the City of New Orleans, and commercial air service began at what was then known as Moisant Field in 1946.

The airport has continued to expand and improve over the years, with additional concourses and runways being added to accommodate the growing number of passengers and flights. In 2001, the airport was renamed Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in honour of the famous native-born musician's 100th birthday. Today, the airport is a primary commercial airport for the New Orleans metropolitan area and southeast Louisiana, serving millions of passengers each year and contributing to the city's growth as a national and international destination.

Frequently asked questions