jetBlue to Offer International Service From Westchester

[firedude 985]

JetBlue to Offer the Only International Service From Westchester County Airport With the Launch of Daily Nonstop Service to Nassau, Bahamas. Flights, set to begin Nov. 15, 2011, are on sale today through July 29 at www.jetblue.com/new for $129 each way for travel Nov. 15, 2011 - Feb. 15, 2012 (a) --

NEW YORK, July 26, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --

JetBlue Airways (Nasdaq: JBLU), in partnership with the Nassau Paradise Island Promotion Board (NPIPB), today is pleased to announce plans to further expand its successful Caribbean network with the addition of Westchester County Airport's (HPN) only international flight, offering daily nonstop service to Nassau, Bahamas (NAS). Service takes off November 15, 2011, subject to government approval.

Full Press Release

White Plains (HPN) to Nassau (NAS):

Depart HPN- Arrive NAS

8:10 a.m. - 11:10 a.m.

Depart NAS- Arrive HPN

2:05 p.m. - 2:55 p.m.

- Flights will operate daily, effective November 15, 2011 -

- All times local -

NYCAviation Article

jetblue's Blog post

[JM15 386]

Wow thats awesome... I have been to Atlantis twice and it really is one of the coolest places on earth!!

[mikeinet 37]

Never thought I'd hear "Westchester county international airport"....

how will they handle customs?

[JohnnyOV 2]

how will they handle customs?

They'll have to announce it publicly, go out to bid and make sure they dont spec it specifically for a nation...

[firedude 985]

Never thought I'd hear "Westchester county international airport"....

Westchester has had international flights before. Air Canada had 4 daily flights to Toronto for years bus suspended service last year.

how will they handle customs?

Passengers will pre-clear customs before departure from nassau. There is a United States Customs and Border Protection office at the nassau airport already. It is also protocol for commercial flights from bermuda and toronto to the United States, to do the same. There is a CBP office at HPN but is reserved for private aircraft. It is located at the Avitat FBO.

Edited July 26, 2011 by firedude

[JohnnyOV 2]

Passengers will pre-clear customs before departure from nassau. There is a United States Customs and Border Protection office at the nassau airport already. It is also protocol for commercial flights from bermuda and toronto to the United States, to do the same. There is a CBP office at HPN but is reserved for private aircraft. It is located at the Avitat FBO.

Sarcasm kid...

[firedude 985]

Sarcasm kid...

my fault... quoted wrong post

[JohnnyOV 2]

my fault... quoted wrong post

lol not a problem

[velcroMedic1987 330]

With all the extra space they have in the terminal now they could put in Customs and Immigration stations without a problem.

I'm amazed that they're doing direct flights from Westchester.

Now if they could just figure out what to do with all the cars that will need parking.

[dadbo46 50]

With all the extra space they have in the terminal now they could put in Customs and Immigration stations without a problem.

I'm amazed that they're doing direct flights from Westchester.

Now if they could just figure out what to do with all the cars that will need parking.

What "extra space ?"

[firedude 985]

With all the extra space they have in the terminal now they could put in Customs and Immigration stations without a problem.

I'm amazed that they're doing direct flights from Westchester.

Now if they could just figure out what to do with all the cars that will need parking.

Yea, dadbo46 is right. There is no extra space. The terminal is at full capacity and there is no room to put CBP. They are so packed in that an airline has to operate from an FBO (Fixed Base Operator). As for the cars, they now offer parking off-airport with shuttle service to the terminal.

[calhobs 110]

With all the extra space they have in the terminal now they could put in Customs and Immigration stations without a problem.

I'm amazed that they're doing direct flights from Westchester.

Now if they could just figure out what to do with all the cars that will need parking.

As for someone who works there please tell me where this extra space is, I really need a new place to hide from my boss. They are doing some major consonstuction over the next 3-5 years, but this should of been done 5 years ago by time they are done I think it will still be tight in the terminal, I just hope they put in some new AC in terminal very soon they reallly need it.

[velcroMedic1987 330]

What "extra space ?"

Yea, dadbo46 is right. There is no extra space. The terminal is at full capacity and there is no room to put CBP. They are so packed in that an airline has to operate from an FBO (Fixed Base Operator). As for the cars, they now offer parking off-airport with shuttle service to the terminal.

As for someone who works there please tell me where this extra space is, I really need a new place to hide from my boss. They are doing some major consonstuction over the next 3-5 years, but this should of been done 5 years ago by time they are done I think it will still be tight in the terminal, I just hope they put in some new AC in terminal very soon they reallly need it.

That was sarcasm, boys. Sarcasm. That terminal is a joke. With the number of people they're moving through it it should be double or triple the size. Stop bowing to the anti-airport morons who keep complaining and make it what it should be. A real airport.

I've flown out of Westchester a number of times but will choose Stewart and even Newark over Westchester every time.

[x635 4,066]

Newark SUCKS! I got to spend 8 more hours then I expected there on Monday. More on that on my blog later this week.

As far as Westchester HPN, it has always been behind where it needs to be. (Anyone remember the Quonset hut?).Part of this is because of the NIMBY's who failed to do due dilligence when looking for a home.

Personally, I'd like to see Southwest and jetBlue fly to their major hubs, that way you have a great number of choices.

And, are there even stands for the larger aircraft to sit overnight, so they can get right out in the morning?

As far as parking, even though land is short, I'm sure there are companies who would love to lease some land to build and operate a parking garage. Aren't there a number of vacant hangars, or a way to rearrange things? Maybe a parking garage somewhere with a Bee-Line feeder (relocating the County DPW Garage in West Harrison, put a structure in there?) Can maintainence or operations free up some land by relocqating some of their facilites?

Has Southwest or jetBlue been contacted for financial assistance? I know in certain places, jetBlue has paid and even campaigned for airport improvements, such as Long Beach CA airport.

[mfc2257 464]

Now they want to add Customs, where??

The customs presence would be limited. As mentioned before, many non US airports have US Customs Agents and a process to pre-clear those flying to the US. Many flights originating in Mexico, Bahamas, Canada, BVI, etc are not really international when they leave the ground bound for the US. They land and disembark passengers just like a domestic flight because everyone on board has been through customs already. I believe that these are the types of international flights that HPN will be accepting... Not a 300 passenger flight from Dubai that requires all passengers, luggage, and pilots to clear customs on this side of the pond.

Edited July 29, 2011 by mfc2257