Author: Metropolitan Airport News
Metropolitan Airport News
Produced by a team of aviation professionals and enthusiasts, our mission is to inform and update the more than 68,000 employees who work on the metropolitan New York airport properties, as well as the many others that provide goods and services in the surrounding communities.
After two months of small but steady passenger increases, U.S. airlines are bracing for what could be a further drop in demand as coronavirus cases surge in popular leisure travel destinations, including Florida and Arizona. United Airlines is already scaling back August flights that the carrier had added just a week earlier. United now plans to fly about 35 percent of the schedule it flew in August last year. On July 1, the carrier unveiled plans to fly 40 percent of last year’s schedule. The International Air Transport Association on Juy 24th released the results of a survey that showed…
Face coverings are required in all Port Authority facilities to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the traveling public. To support this important public health effort, agency staff distributed masks to passengers at the Midtown Bus Terminal, the George Washington Bridge Bus Station, and in key PATH stations on several days in recent weeks. Altogether, employees have distributed close to 170,000 cloth masks to passengers during four rush-hour surges. The vast majority of passengers accepting masks were already wearing masks of their own, indicative of the greater than 90% compliance that has been observed throughout the Port Authority’s mass…
Happy 231st birthday to the U.S. Customs Service! Over two centuries ago, a newly independent America established 59 customs collections districts in the 11 states that ratified the new Constitution – creating the U.S. Customs Service. The first U.S. Congress created the Service as a way to offset Revolutionary War debt and to fund America in its infancy. By 1800, Customs was responsible for 88% of U.S. federal revenue. Two hundred and thirty-one years later, as the second largest revenue collector for the U.S. government today, U.S. Customs and Border Protection keeps this legacy alive as we continue to protect U.S. consumers…
As the length of time we experience the pandemic grows, the more we learn. Plastic trays at airport security have more respiratory viruses than public toilets, according to recently published research. The study, called Deposition of respiratory virus pathogens on frequently touched surfaces at airports, was based on 90 surface samples and four air samples collected at Helsinki-Vantaa airport over the course of three weeks in 2016. Samples were collected weekly at three different times of day from various points along the passenger journey, from handrails on escalators and lift buttons to trolley handles and toys in the children’s play area. Of…
The Trump administration on Thursday, August 5th rescinded its warnings to Americans against all international travel because of the coronavirus pandemic, saying conditions no longer warrant a blanket worldwide alert. The State Department lifted its level-four health advisory for the entire world in order to return to country-specific warnings. That move came shortly after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revised its COVID-19 travel advisory information. The CDC lifted “do not travel” warnings for about 20 locations but advised staying away from the vast majority of the world. Instead of a blanket advisory on traveling the globe, officials said they’ll…
On boarding the first flight on this restored route, Andreas von Puttkamer, Head of the Aviation division at Flughafen München GmbH (3rd from left) pointed out that United has always had a very prominent presence in Munich as a founder member of Star Alliance. “It’s great that we’re already able to reopen United’s second route in Munich and gradually expand our services to the US again.” United Airlines promoted the resumption of its flights to Newark Airport with the Statue of Liberty, the iconic symbol of New York. It will operate a frequency of three flights per week. As a…
In an August 6th press release, American Airlines is reintroducing complimentary hot food items and signature food-for-sale favorites at select Admirals Club lounges across the country. The month-long rollout is part of the airline’s phased reopening strategy for Admirals Club lounges and ongoing response to coronavirus (COVID-19). Starting Aug. 12, complimentary favorites include scrambled eggs or oatmeal in the morning and soup or macaroni and cheese will be served in the afternoon. Timing and menus will vary by location. Gloved and masked team members will prepare these items behind protective acrylic screens at a safe social distance and serve the…
On July 29th, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Chairman Kevin O’Toole and Executive Director Rick Cotton called on the federal government to provide the Port Authority with $3 billion in direct financial assistance to avoid the devastating impact of sharp revenue losses to the agency’s critically important capital construction projects. The agency has projected revenue losses of $3 billion over 24 months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal aid will protect the agency’s capital plan – and by doing so, to help drive the region’s and the nation’s economic recovery.Without direct federal financial assistance,…
AirBridgeCargo Airlines, part of Volga-Dnepr Group, has transported a record number of RKN containers onboard its Boeing 747-8F. ABC’s scheduled flight uplifted the cargo for its long-lasting customer, DSV, from Amsterdam (the Netherlands) to Shanghai (China). 41RKN CSafe containers, containing more than 30 tons of temperature-sensitive medicines, were securely loaded and stowed onboard main and lower decks to optimize aircraft capacity and guarantee safe delivery of the total shipment without its breakdown for different flights. ‘This transportation, to some extent, is the rehearsal to check that we are well-prepared for the Covid-19 vaccine, once its testing is finalized. For the…
LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP), the private entity operating and redeveloping LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B, announced that it will open the first seven gates of the Western Concourse of the new state-of-the-art Terminal B on August 5, 2020. With the opening of these seven gates, Terminal B is one step closer to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s vision of a 21st-century LaGuardia Airport. The project is possible due to the collaborative efforts between the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, private partners and construction workers across New York State who have worked tirelessly to bring this design to life. The…