Pou Warns of World Cup Journey Bottlenecks Close to MetLife Stadium

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Nellie Pou (D-NJ-09), Vice Ranking Member of the House Aviation Subcommittee and Ranking Member of Congress’s World Cup Security Task Force, is calling on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to stop potential air journey bottlenecks close to MetLife Stadium forward of the FIFA World Cup by growing customs staffing and increasing worldwide passenger processing capabilities at Teterboro Airport. 

In a letter to CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott, Pou raised considerations that Teterboro’s restricted customs processing capability might create delays and congestion as worldwide journey surges in the course of the event. She additionally urged the company to reject any proposal that would cut back or get rid of worldwide journey and processing at Newark Liberty International Airport, warning that such a transfer might worsen congestion all through the area.

“With less than one week until the first World Cup match in the United States, it is critical that federal agencies take every reasonable step to ensure both the safety and efficient movement of international visitors. In addition to rejecting any proposal to divert international travel away from Newark Airport, I urge your agency to work with Teterboro Airport, the Port Authority, and other stakeholders to strengthen processing capacity and operational readiness,” writes Congresswoman Pou.

Congresswoman Pou’s district will host a number of FIFA World Cup matches, together with the championship recreation. As a member of the House Homeland Security Committee and the highest Democrat on the Task Force overseeing World Cup preparation and safety, Congresswoman Pou has repeatedly raised considerations about America’s readiness to host the world’s greatest sporting occasion. 

Pou’s advocacy was instrumental in forcing the Department of Homeland Security to lastly launch $625 million in federal safety cash that was being held again from World Cup host cities. Additionally, in the course of the FY 2026 appropriations course of, Pou helped safe federal funding to reimburse public transportation businesses for prices associated to FIFA World Cup 2026 matches and different event occasions.

The textual content of the Congresswoman’s letter is under.

Dear Commissioner Scott:

I write relating to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s preparedness for the rise in home and worldwide air journey anticipated in the course of the FIFA World Cup. Business aviation and reliever airports will play an necessary position in transporting groups, officers, sponsors, and guests. Accordingly, airports in or round host cities should have assets essential to display and course of vacationers getting into the United States. 

As you already know, the New Jersey-New York area has the busiest and most advanced airspace within the nation and can function a significant gateway for World Cup guests. MetLife Stadium, positioned in East Rutherford and New Jersey’s Ninth Congressional District, will host eight World Cup matches, together with the championship remaining, and is anticipated to attract greater than one million guests to North Jersey. New Jersey’s Ninth District can also be dwelling to Teterboro Airport, positioned simply 4 miles from MetLife Stadium. As a significant reliever airport for the area, Teterboro will play a important position in accommodating worldwide enterprise aviation visitors, together with sponsors, officers, dignitaries, and different guests. While the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and airport stakeholders have undertaken in depth preparations for the event, considerations stay that Teterboro’s restricted customs and safety processing capability might create vital congestion and delays.

International arrivals at Teterboro Airport are at present restricted to designated areas on the airfield the place customs and safety processing providers can be found. After clearing customs, plane should taxi again throughout the airfield to their mounted base operator, creating bottlenecks on taxiways and ramps and delaying arrivals and departures. These operational constraints are prone to change into extra pronounced as worldwide visitors will increase in the course of the World Cup.

Expanding customs officers staffing ranges and making certain enough personnel protection at Teterboro would assist handle these challenges. Additional enhancements might embody increasing the usage of cellular or distant processing capabilities throughout the airfield and coordinating carefully with airport stakeholders on operational planning and contingency measures to help protected and environment friendly plane motion. These steps would assist scale back congestion, restrict diversions to surrounding airports, and enhance the move of worldwide arrivals in the course of the event.

At the identical time, studies of a proposal to take away worldwide processing capabilities from Newark Liberty International Airport and divert that journey elsewhere are deeply regarding. Such a transfer would enhance congestion all through the area, create operational challenges at surrounding airports, and undermine efforts to effectively course of worldwide guests forward of the World Cup. CBP ought to reject this proposal and as an alternative be certain that airports all through the area have the assets essential to deal with elevated journey demand.

With lower than one week till the primary World Cup match within the United States, it’s important that federal businesses take each cheap step to make sure each the security and environment friendly motion of worldwide guests. In addition to rejecting any proposal to divert worldwide journey away from Newark Airport, I urge your company to work with Teterboro Airport, the Port Authority, and different stakeholders to strengthen processing capability and operational readiness by taking the next steps:

1. Increase customs staffing ranges at Teterboro Airport, as wanted in coordination with airport officers and the Port Authority, to satisfy projected worldwide arrival demand;
2. Expand the usage of cellular or distant clearing capabilities throughout the airfield;
3. Coordinate with airport stakeholders on operational planning; and
4. Develop contingency plans to keep up protected and environment friendly plane motion.

Thank you on your consideration to this time-sensitive matter. I request an replace on CBP’s plans to handle elevated worldwide visitors at Teterboro Airport earlier than the primary World Cup match.

Sincerely,

Nellie Pou

Member of Congress

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