PLATTSBURGH — Work on a new baggage belt at Plattsburgh International Airport is complete, ensuring passengers a much easier time of retrieving luggage.

The belt was extended into the lobby area of the new airport to allow for the bags of up to 150 passengers to be unloaded after flights arrive.

The previous belt turned out to be too small for larger flights, and passengers had to go outside to get their luggage.

"If it was nice outside, that was actually easier because the handlers would bring the bags right out to the curb, and you could just drive up and pick up your bags," said Rodney Brown, deputy county administrator and acting airport manager.

"But if it was raining or snowing and cold outside, it was not pleasant for passengers and for the baggage handlers."

The size of the baggage belt became an issue when Allegiant Air began non-stop service to Florida with large jets late last year.

Direct Air also began flying non-stop to Myrtle Beach, S.C., in large aircraft.

The southern flights proved to be popular with many Canadian travelers, who ventured to Plattsburgh to catch a low-cost flight.

But on return trips, picking up luggage at the tiny belt proved to be adventuresome. Passengers sometimes wound up in shoving bouts as they elbowed their way to get their bags.

County legislators decided earlier this year to make a change.

Murnane Contractors won the bid to install the new system for about $180,000.

"This is one of the first (airport) projects the county recognized it needed to do that wasn't grant funded," Brown said.

The county received about $40 million in federal funds to construct the airport, which opened in the summer of 2007.

"We needed to get this done in a hurry, and we couldn't wait around for grant money," said Legislator Robert Heins (R-Area 10, City of Plattsburgh), who chairs the county's Airport Committee.

"This was a good investment because without it we looked like a second-class airport. This puts us back where we should be."

In addition to the Florida and South Carolina flights, Cape Air of Massachusetts offers daily commuter flights on small aircraft.

E-mail Joe LoTemplio at: jlotemplio@pressrepublican.com