Flying out of Westchester?

[x129K 1,393]

Well...I was hoping Seth could give me some insight, but he's a busy man...

I booked a flight on JetBlue out of Westchester for July....

Anyone flown from there? How is it? I have flown twice......in my life.

NOT a big fan of it, but after driving in a Crown Vic with 3 women to Daytona - I'll risk the flight!

[x635 4,066]

Sorry Dan.

I've never flown jetBlue out of Westchester (I was booked and supposed to be on the inuagral flight...grrr), but have flown jetBlue extensively and they are an awesome airline.

My fiance has flown from Westchester and it is MUCH easier and more convinent then LGA,EWR, or JFK. Unless there are weather issues, there's usually not a problem with delays.

The only issue is parking. Due to Airtran and jetBlue, HPN doesn't have the capacity. Several options are being looked at, but for now I'd try to get a ride there.

For Dutchess residents, Westchester and Stewart rock- no longer do you have to schlep to the city to go to Florida!

[bmfd231 3]

I have flown out of there both commercially and private. Its a great airport to go out of, with the exception that parking is terrible. When flying commercially, always take a car service. I would recommend that.

[NYMedic37 22]

Well...I was hoping Seth could give me some insight, but he's a busy man...

I booked a flight on JetBlue out of Westchester for July....

Anyone flown from there? How is it? I have flown twice......in my life.

NOT a big fan of it, but after driving in a Crown Vic with 3 women to Daytona - I'll risk the flight!

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Driving to Daytona from NY with 3 women in the car!!!!! You deserve the purple heart!!!

[mfc2257 464]

I fly in and out of Westchester all the time... both commercial and on corporate jets... Parking is a concern... So is terminal space.

A few things to keep in mind when flying out:

1: The checkin stands are VERY ackward and it is tough to decipher which line is for your carrier. If you're flying out during the morning rush, leave your self at least an hour.

2: The amount of waiting space once you've gone through security is VERY limited. There is usually standing room only. If a JetBlue Airbus, and AirTran 717, and a US Airways Regional Jet are all in the gates at the same time, you'll be hard pressed to find space for your butt, bag, and newspaper.

A few things to keep in mind when flying in:

1: There is limited gate space. If there are a bunch of Delta or Continental Connection Jets at the gate, there is no way to get an A320 or 717 in there. I've waited on the runway for 15-30 a few times until space was cleared. Don't get me wrong it's better than driving from LGA, EWE, or JFK.

2: There is one baggage claim belt. If there are several planes, be prepared to jockey with people for your bags. Best to send the wife with the kids to stand on the outer wall and you run bags out to them

3: Rental cars go quickly.

Don't get me wrong... My experience with flying out of Westchester Commercial have been GREAT. Much better than flying out of any of the big airports. But the premium you pay for the ultimate in airport location and simplicity is cramped quarters.

Flying on a private jet is a totally different story.... walk up to the FBO (Field Base Operations) building for whichever outfit services the aircraft (NetJets for example) drop your luggage walk to the plane and you're in the air 10 minutes later assuming that the people you're traveling with are on time.

[pcfpr1 11]

man keep your posts down that spinning light is killing me

[helicopper 1,050]

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Driving to Daytona from NY with 3 women in the car!!!!! You deserve the purple heart!!!

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More like a complimentary psych exam!!!

As for HPN, the only issue is parking. AirTran and JetBlue have completely changed the clientele and parking is an absolute nightmare! DEFINITELY have someone drive you or take a cab - it will still beat the traffic going to the City!!!

I just flew out of Stewart on JetBlue and it was AWESOME! Actually EARLY arrival, no crowds, no traffic and dirt cheap parking!

[TL2L31 8]

Westchester is crazy, I am switching to stewart in newburgh .Anyone ever flown out of there?

[Oswegowind 17]

I just flew out of Stewart on JetBlue and it was AWESOME!  Actually EARLY arrival, no crowds, no traffic and dirt cheap parking!

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Westchester is crazy, I am switching to stewart in newburgh .Anyone ever flown out of there?

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ahhhhh...I wonder!

[Ex-2114 7]

Westchester is crazy, I am switching to stewart in newburgh .Anyone ever flown out of there?

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I just flew in/out of Stewart (SWF) last week and the departure on AirTran (6AM flight) was a breeze. I was even upgraded to Business Class. The return was a bit hectic though -- at 22:30, my AirTran flight, a JetBlue flight, and a US Air flight arrived all at the same time. They only had one baggage crew working and it took an hour just to get my bags.

Parking is a bit hokie too... They have the overflow lots now, but a single 10 passenger van (just one) making the rounds between the terminal and the two overflow lots just isn't enough. They need to get a few 30 passenger bus-type vehicles - at least 2 at a time.

Don't get me wrong - my drive to SWF from home in Wappingers Falls is a mere 25 minutes on a busy day. The convenience factor is certainly there!!

Just think, in addition to JetBlue, AirTran, Delta, AA, and USAir, a new player will be joining them in a few months: CONTINENTAL!!

I think once the PA takes over the operations, a lot of the issues will get better. On the flip side, a lot will also get worse.

The ridership out of Stewart has increased 312% since January (according the the Poughkeepsie Journal) as compared to previous years and is only going to grow further.

Once they start putting in more direct flights to other cities (they currently go to Atlanta, Philthadelphia, and I think Detroit) you'll see a larger increase. They should also start flying to Toronto at some point - they are an "international" airport you know.

And who knows - one day, the Space Shuttle may land there!! SWF is the 4th landing option preceded by Houston, Cape Canaveral, and White Sands, NM.

Happy travels!!

[x129K 1,393]

Did I mention the 3 ladies included my Wife, my Mother in Law, and HER sister?

Thanks for the input - I'll have to find me a driver!

[Monty 35]

Did I mention the 3 ladies included my Wife, my Mother in Law, and HER sister?

Thanks for the input - I'll have to find me a driver!

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Maybe you can drop them at the airport .....

And then drive on down to Florida

Somewhat seriously though, both SWF and HPN are great if the flights work for you. I've found it even better whe the weather is cr*p. LGA is so tight, that the domino effect from when there is any delay to weather is massive. Because of the limited movements from HPN it gets everything back on schedule very quicky.

[Oswegowind 17]

Garage already full at the Westchester County Airport; some overflow parking remains

By NICOLE NEROULIAS

THE JOURNAL NEWS

(Original Publication: May 25, 2007)

WHITE PLAINS - There's no room at the garage for travelers flying out of Westchester County Airport this weekend.

The 1,100-space structure filled up at 10 a.m. yesterday. Travelers who drive themselves must now park in the airport's overflow lot about a half-mile away, then take a shuttle bus to the terminal.

"We expect to be into our overflow situation until Tuesday," said Steve Ferguson, assistant airport manager, who strongly recommends travelers find other ways to get to the airport. "The best advice is to have someone drop you off."

With new offerings at the airport from JetBlue and Air Tran, this year's Memorial Day weekend is "a little bit more hectic" than last year, Ferguson said. The good news is that sunny skies have ensured flights can arrive and depart on time, he added.

The garage has 50 spaces reserved for short-term use - meaning people who are only parking in order to pick up or drop off a passenger. Any overnight stays must use the overflow lot.

The parking lot can hold 400 cars, and was half-filled as of 9:30 a.m. today. The closest it ever came to reaching capacity was when about 100 spaces were left during spring break last month, Ferguson said.

Outbound flights are fully booked for the next few days, but Ferguson said he expects returning business travelers this evening will free up more garage spaces.

"We haven't reached the point where we've had to consider a spot other than the overflow area," he said. "We think it will suffice until Tuesday with the ebb and flow."

For more information about alternate transportation to the Westchester County Airport, call 914-995-RIDE.

Taken from LoHud.com...