Arrivology
Tips on easing your trip to or from New York City:
Flying
You want to fly into La Guardia, Kennedy or Newark, NJ. If you are buying your tickets online, most travel sites will let you punch in "NYC" as the airport code, letting you search all three airports at once, rather than typing LGA, JFK and EWR.
Also see: FAA’s current airport conditions
TSA’s items prohibited in carry-ons
NewYorkology Basics: From the airport to Manhattan
Resources: Airfare Watchdog, Seat Guru and Airline Quality.
Amtrak – Before booking, check their website specials. You want to come to Pennsylvania Station, New York, which also serves NJ Transit, the Long Island Rail Road and several subway lines.
Bus
LimoLiner is the business-class bus from Boston; Chinatown buses offer cheap white-knuckle rides and there's always Greyhound, the Hampton Jitney or Peter Pan.
There's no need to drive, really.
LimoLiner cuts Boston fare to $69, ends Hartford route
 It’s not quite a cut-rate $1 advanced fare, but the luxury bus between New York and Boston, LimoLiner, will reduce its one-way fares to as low as $69, the company announced late Tuesday.
The fare is available for new reservations for travel after Nov. 20. While it will apply to “many seats on many trips” other seats will be priced at $79 each way, and $89 for peak travel.
Earlier this year, Limoliner added service to Hartford in April, but quietly abandoned the route in September.
LimoLiner buses, which seat only 28 passengers, offer plush leather seats, high-speed Internet, to-your-seat beverage service, and other amenities.
Earlier: Amtrak plans to offer free wi-fi on Acela trains by 2010
Amtrak sale extends to Dec. 16; $49 to D.C. or Boston
LimoLiner bus adds Hartford with $39 one-way fare
November 11, 2009 7:24 AM Comments (0)
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New 50-cent taxi tax jacks up JFK flat-rate to $45.50
When New York state last week added a 50-cent tax to all cab fares in NYC, among the things it’s messed up is the $45 flat-rate price for the trip between JFK Airport and Manhattan.
The 50-cent “MTA Tax,” which went into effect Nov. 1, was approved by state lawmakers and the city’s Taxi and Limousine Commission.
The full taxi rules are online (in pdf format.)
November 8, 2009 8:16 PM Comments (0)
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Amtrak plans to offer free wi-fi on Acela trains by 2010
 Amtrak’s high-speed Acela trains are on track to get wi-fi in 2010 and at least initally, the service will be free, according to the five-year fiscal plan issued Thursday by the railroad.
“Launch is anticipated in the second quarter of FY10. This service will initially be offered at no cost to our customers, though pricing may change depending on customer response, system performance, and costs,” the Amtrak document states. “The goal for this offering is to drive competitive advantage that will result in additional ridership and revenue on Acela trains. As of the end of FY09 the company will have just begun deployment.”
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November 2, 2009 9:23 AM Comments (0)
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Sullenberger, Skiles reunite for USAirways LGA flight
 Captain Chesley B. Sullenberger III and co-pilot Jeff Skiles today will fly US Airways Flight 1427 from LaGuardia Airport, the second time they’ll share the cockpit since their heroic Hudson River landing after hitting a flock of fat Canadian geese.
(Update: The pilots first shared a cockpit this morning according to the Daily News, which had a reporter on board the flight to LaGuardia from Charlotte, N.C.
“It’s good to be back in New York. It’s good to be back at work,” Sullenberger said at a news conference ahead of today’s flight to Charlotte, scheduled for 12:59 p.m. “New York and New Jersey have been very good to us. Not only on Jan. 15, but since.”
Sullenberger also singled out the private ferry company that was the first on scene to help with the rescue. “I want to mention in addition to the crew and the first responders, NY Waterway. The first ferry was there within less than four minutes after we stopped in the river, and it was largely due to their efforts that the outcome was so good.”
Earlier this year, NY Waterway repackaged its skyline cruise to include “the actual site of the dramatic rescue when US Airways Flight 1549 ditched into the icy Hudson.”
Correction as of 12:45 p.m., Oct. 1: This story was changed to state the afternoon flight will be their second since January, not the first as US Airways earlier announced.)
Earlier: NY Waterway warns of bankruptcy, seeks takeover
US Airways 1549, on a barge, on live webcam now
USAirways 1549 out of Hudson River before midnight
Must-read passengers’ account of chaotic evacuation
NY Waterway honored as first rescue boat at USAir1549
Excerpts of the coverage of USAir’s Hudson landing
US Airways plane crashes in Hudson River near Intrepid
October 1, 2009 11:25 AM Comments (0)
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US Helicopter halts all service, NY airport transfers end
 US Helicopter, the financially struggling company that has been shuttling passengers from Manhattan to area airports since March 2006 for as little at $45, has “temporarily” halted all service, according to a statement on its website.
Notice of Temporary Service Interruption
We are temporarily halting all service as we regroup to add aircraft to our fleet and introduce new routes. This ‘standown’ of service applies to our scheduled flights as well as our charter service. We plan to return to the skies of New York - a bigger and better airline - by late November. For information on refunds for tickets you hold for future travel, please contact your credit card company for a credit or refund. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and we look forward to serving you again very soon with our 8 Minute Airport Shuttle.
In an interview with the New York Times on Friday, US Helicopter Senior Vice President Donal McSullivan said “There’s no bankruptcy here. We’re just getting our act together.”
In March 2006, US Helicopter opened for business with regular weekday shuttles between Kennedy Airport and the Downtown Heliport near Wall Street. It later added service to Newark Airport and a heliport at E. 34th Street. It also serves Connecticut and chartered routes. By June 2007, the company had an accumulated deficit of $20 million, according to its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It was also behind on its rent payments at the Downtown Heliport, the New York Times reported in 2007.
By August 2007, the company’s public filing to the SEC warned “We have incurred substantial net operating losses and used substantial amounts of cash in our operating activities. Since our inception, we have incurred losses, have an accumulated deficit, and have experienced negative cash flows from operations. The expansion and development of our business will likely require additional capital. This condition raises substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.”
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September 26, 2009 6:56 AM Comments (0)
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Amtrak sale extends to Dec. 16; $49 to D.C. or Boston
 Amtrak has extended its Northeast fare sale through Dec. 16, offering tickets as low as $49 to D.C. or Boston from New York City.
The 25-percent discount on Northeast Regional or Keystone trains applies to tickets purchased at least 14 days in advance. Other conditions apply.
Amtrak will allow the 25-percent deal to be combined with its Kid’s Half Price fare for up to two children ages 2 to 15, when accompanied by an adult.
Earlier: Amtrak confirms wi-fi in test mode on Acela trains
Amtrak cuts Northeast fares 25 pct through summer
August 25, 2009 10:12 AM Comments (0)
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Teterboro air control's 'inappropriate' call during crash
The Teterboro Airport air traffic controller handling the Piper plane before it fatally crashed into a tourist helicopter has been put on leave after tapes revealed he “was involved in apparently inappropriate conversations on the telephone at the time of the accident,” the FAA said in a statement issued Thursday.
Multiple media reports say he was on the phone with his girlfriend, and it was the call itself, not what was said that made it “inappropriate.”
 In addition, the air traffic controller’s supervisor was also placed in leave because he was not even in the building as required, according to the Post.
“We have no reason to believe at this time that these actions contributed to the accident” FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt told the Daily News.
The Saturday crash over the Hudsun River caused the deaths of all six people in the helicopter and all three in the airplane. All were recovered from the Hudson.
In related news, NBC has obtained video of the actual crash, filmed by a tourist on a boat.
The crash has led to new calls for regulations of the Hudson air corridor as well as attention to the rift between investigators at the National Transportation Safety Board and policy-makers at the Federal Aviation Administration.
Image source: NBC.
Earlier: Helicopter, 7 bodies recovered from Hudson River
Helicopter, small aircraft collide over Hudson River
NTSB cited human error in both ‘05 helicopter crashes
August 14, 2009 7:41 AM Comments (0)
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Helicopter, 7 bodies recovered from Hudson River
Seven of the nine victims of Saturdays crash have been recovered from the Hudson River, along with most of the Liberty Helicopter but the Piper Lance remains submerged, NTSB Chairman Debbie Hersman said during a news conference late this afternoon.
“It’s too early in the investigation for us to identify a cause at this point. We’re still at the early fact-gathering stages,” she said.
Officials declined to identify any of the pilots or passengers by name but the New York Times and other outlets names them. Tiziana Pedrone, Fabio Gallazzi, Giacomo Gallazzi, Michele Norelli and Filippo Norelli were the Italian tourists on the helicopter flown by Jeremy Clark. Steven M. Altman was the pilot of the plane; he was accompanied by his brother Daniel Altman and nephew Doug Altman.
The small Piper aircraft started its day in Wingsfield, Penn., at 7:14 a.m. and arrived at New Jersey’s Teterboro to pick up a passenger. After a 30-minute layover, the Piper was cleared for takeoff at 11:49 a.m., headed for to Ocean City, N.J., according to the narrative Hersman provided at the briefing.
The Teterboro control tower instructed the pilot to make a left turn and fly at or below 1,100 feet. At 11:52 a.m., Teterboro handed off the flight to the Newark control tower and told the pilot to contact Newark and change frequency. When Newark didn’t hear from the pilot, it contacted Teterboro, which again attempted to contact the pilot.
The last radar contact with the plane was at 1,100 feet at 11:53 a.m., Hersman said.
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August 9, 2009 5:39 PM Comments (0)
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Helicopter, small aircraft collide over Hudson River
“Emergency personnel are on scene of a helicopter and a small aircraft collision in the vicinity of West 14th Street and the Hudson River,” NYC’s official Notify NYC states in a 12:29 p.m. advisory.
 At least one person was “removed from the water,” apparently deceased, a fire department official told the New York Times.
Five tourists and a pilot were on the helicopter, according to the Daily News report.
“I was actually watching the white plane as it was heading south. It was around 50 feet above the helicopter and he was banking heading toward Manhattan. He banked quite hard and the wing actually snapped off and caused the plane to then drop and it hit back rotor of the helicopter, snapping that off,” a witness identified as “Nick” told NY1 by phone.
Citing unnamed sources, the Post states the plane was coming from Teteboro Airport and had only the pilot on board. The paper also states both aircraft are submerged but divers have already recovered one black box. (Update: The NTSB chairman later said it’s unlikely there will be black boxes as they’re not required for aircraft of this size.)
At least one person was rescued by the New York City Fire Department, according to a statement from the US Coast Guard. (This turned out to be untrue; see updates below. There were no survivors.)
Update as of 1:50 p.m: The facts of the crash are changing rapidly. Currently there are no confirmed reports of survivors, but one person is confirmed dead. Most news outlets have identified Liberty Helicopter as the operator of the tourist aircraft involved in the crash. NY1 also reports the helicopter was a AS350 Eurocopter; the plane was a Piper PA32. Mayor Michael Bloomberg will provide a briefing shortly.
Update at 3:15 p.m.: “At this point we have found two bodies,” Mayor Bloomberg said during his 3 p.m. news conference. “We’re not sure where one of them came from. The other we’re reasonably sure came from the helicopter. We found some wreckage. We believe that it is the helicopter but the visibility is about two feet at a depth of 30 feet on the Jersey side of the river, opposite roughly 14th Street where the wreckage was located. We have not found the second piece of wreckage. We’re assuming we have the helicopter, but we cannot for sure say that.” There are bodies in that wreckage, he said.
Bloomberg said there were five Italian tourists plus the pilot on the helicopter. He said it appears the plane, a Piper Saratoga, was carrying a pilot and two passengers, including a child.
“There were a number of eye-witnesses who saw the crash,” Bloomberg said. “It would appear that the airplane ran into the back side of the helicopter, but keep in mind with all of these things: No. 1, until the National Transportation Safety Board makes a determination, nothing is a fact.”
The plane had taken off from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey; the helicopter had taken off from the 30th Street heliport in Manhattan, he said.
“Sadly, there is not a lot of rescue to do here. It’s all recovery from this point on,” Bloomberg said.
Update at 9 p.m.: Three victims have thus far been removed from the Hudson River, NTSB Chairman Debbie Hersman said during a news conference held at 8:35 p.m. in Hoboken. She confirmed the wreckage found earlier in the day is indeed the helicopter and it will likely be removed from the river Sunday if possible. The plane’s wreckage has not yet been located.
Hersman also said one witness, another helicopter pilot at the 30th Street heliport, actually radioed a warning seconds before the crash, starting with the helicopter’s tail number. “ILH, you have a fixed wing behind you,” he said, but received no reply.
Divers will resume the search at 7 a.m., Hersman said.
Related: Webcam of the recovery effort.
Picture: File photo taken in June 2009 at the 30th Street heliport for Liberty Helicopter. Amy Langfield/NewYorkology.
Earlier:
US Airways plane crashes in Hudson River near Intrepid
NTSB cited human error in both ‘05 helicopter crashes
Another incident for Liberty ‘no comment’ Helicopter
Liberty Helicopter silent after Hudson River crash (2007)
August 8, 2009 12:37 PM Comments (1)
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LaGuardia shut down due to police activity; now reopen
 An official NOTIFY NYC alert was sent at 8 a.m. today: “No flights in and out of LaGuardia Airport due to police activity.”
CNN is reporting that one person has been arrested and his bag is being investigated.
The incident is centered at LaGuardia Airport’s Central Terminal, which is used by American, United, JetBlue, Continental and others.
Update: The Daily News is calling the incident a bomb scare and offers these details:A police source said the scare started when passengers pointed out an apparently drunk man to cops in the terminal. When officers approached him, he said he had a bomb in his bag, a source said. There was a homemade device inside rigged up to look like a bomb, but it appears to be a fake.
Twitter users are posting pictures from the scene, including the image above from @NASA_EDGE, which produces the NASA Edge show for NASA.
Update: As of 9:15 a.m. there is still no official word that LaGuardia has reopened, but several passengers said they have been allowed back into the terminal.
Update: Reuters is reporting that LaGuardia has reopened, but quotes a Port Authrity spokesperson who says Concourse C will remain closed until a complete security sweep had been completed.
Update: The 9:40 a.m. official update from Notify NYC states: “LaGuardia Airport has reopened at this time. Expect flight delays.”
Resources: Airport Info-Alert
FAA Flight Delay Map
August 1, 2009 8:01 AM Comments (0)
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