February 11, 2008

NY airport news: Eos, BA, kosher food, new tech

All-premium-class Eos will start flying to Dubai as of July 6, the airline announced today.

Kosher vending machines are coming to JFK and Newark airports, according to USA Today.

Farecast has added international cities to its airline fare prediciton engine.

BoardingArea.com is a new business-travel blog portal.

British Airways "next year" will start flying all-business class flights between JFK and London's City Airport, but the bad news is it won't be non-stop according to Online Travel Review. It will have to refuel -- probably at Shannon, Ireland -- which would add about two hours to the trip. (But check out the awesome view when landing at London City.)

In June, British Airways will launch its "OpenSkies" US-EU subsidiary airline with daily flights from New York to Brussels or Paris, the company said.

To celebrate it's 8th birthday, NY-based JetBlue is giving away "up to" 800 flights this month.

US Helicopter (which is still offering that $99-to-the-airport sale) has added Eos to its partnership airlines at JFK Airport.

Stewart Airport in the Hudson Valley (aka New York's "fourth airport") will serve about 900,000 passengers this year, according to USA Today. And now that Skybus is flying there, you can take a more efficient $1 bus from Stewart to the Beacon train station, which gets you on a Grand Central Terminal-bound Metro North train. (Via Jaunted.)

Mobissimo is relaunching with travel modules, "featuring tools such as weather, currency or destination photos – which are then automatically populated with content on results pages depending on the search parameters."

More cool travel gadgets - from Tim Leffel.

May 11 is the Real ID showdown, CNet reports: "In just more than three months, millions of law-abiding Americans might face new hassles when traveling on commercial flights if they hold driver's licenses or identification cards issued by Maine, South Carolina, Montana, Oklahoma, New Hampshire, and up to 15 other states plus the District of Columbia that have rejected the Real ID regulations on privacy and cost grounds or have not agreed to comply."

More than 26 percent of all U.S. commercial flights were late or canceled in 2007, the worst in history except for 2000, according to USA Today. Worse still: The nation's seven most-frequently delayed flights all involve the New York area.

On her way home from the Westminster Dog Show two years ago, Champion Bohem C'est La Vie (Vivi,) escaped from her cage on the tarmac at JFK. "When Vivi disappeared, Delta Air Lines paid out $2,800, as it would for a lost piece of baggage of that size and weight," the New York Times reports. "Vivi’s value was estimated at $20,000."

Some of JFK's feral cats are doing better, according to Newsday. They're moving to the Catskills (through just don't tell them the name.)

Gadling tells you how to get free wi-fi at any airport.

Upgrade: Travel Better on Rule 240: "But just because Rule 240 isn’t a blanket rule across all carriers doesn’t mean you can’t try invoking it, or its contractual descendant. If you’re delayed, ask to be rescheduled on another flight. But remember, if the delay is due to weather, you’re out of luck."

Gadling on why you should always use online check-in.

JFK-LGA -the "shortest but coolest flight ever." (via Telescreen.)

American Airline's new "Americans in Paris" mini-site reminds you why American travelers have such a bad rep overseas. Fortunately, there's no NY mini-site yet.

Earlier: New tech for NYC and travelers: bus GPS, free wi-fi
JetBlue on track to reopen Terminal 5 at JFK in fall

February 11, 2008 10:48 AM in Arrivology, Techology

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