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.
JetAmerica delays Newark debut to Aug. 14 - Jaunted
 JetAmerica, which was scheduled to start flying July 13 from Newark with tickets from $9, has started telling passengers service will instead start Aug. 14, according to an e-mail obtained by Jaunted travel website.
From Newark, JetAmerica plans to service Toledo, Ohio; South Bend, Ind.; Lansing, Mich.; and Melbourne-Vero Beach, Fla.
JetAmerica, technically not an airline, is a public charter company contracting with Miami Air International to provide and operate its aircraft.
Image source: JetAmerica’s official website.
Earlier: JetAmerica to debut at Newark with airfares from $9
July 2, 2009 5:21 PM Comments (0)
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Wright's 1909 Statue of Liberty flights celebrated
Officials from the Wright Family Foundation and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum were in New York on Wednesday to mark an upcoming centennial of flying history that started on Governors Island.
 On September 29, 1909 Wilbur Wright made the first long over-water flight in America as he took off from Governors Island and twice circled the Statue of Liberty, said Tom Crouch, the senior curator for aeronautics at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
Just in case, a red canoe was strapped to the bottom of the plane.
The headline of The Globe newspaper pegged the elevation of the flight at 150 feet, dipping to a mere 25 feet above Castle Williams on Governors Island.
A few days later, Wright made a longer flight up the Hudson as part of the Hudson-Fulton Celebration, marking the 300th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s initial navigation of the waterway (and the first steam navigation of the river by Robert Fulton in 1807.)
Wright’s second flight, on Oct. 4, 1909, started at Governors Island, moved on to the Statue of Liberty and then extended all the way up to Grant’s Tomb. The 20-mile round-trip flight took 33 minutes, and was witnessed by a million people lining the shores, according to newspaper accounts. The river was packed with 1,600 ships that had come for the Hudson-Fulton Celebration, Crouch said.
As New York City is once again celebrating Hudson’s 1609 “discovery,” a September 12 air show is in the works for Governors Island, said Amanda Wright Lane, a great grand niece of Orville and Wilbur Wright. That air show may include a re-creation of a 1909 Wright flight.
Wilbur already has his name on a monument on Governors Island, celebrating the “early birds” of military aviation.
The plaque on the front states: “This bronze propeller was cast directly from one of the Wright brothers’ wooden propellers. Two were used to propel the first United States military aeroplane, a 1909 Wright. The original was loaned to the Early Birds, by the Smithsonian Institution, National Air Museum - Paul E. Garber, head curator.”
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June 25, 2009 9:31 AM Comments (2)
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JetAmerica to debut at Newark with airfares from $9
 JetAmerica will start flying from Newark Airport with one-way base fares from $9 to Toledo, Ohio; South Bend, Ind.; Lansing, Mich.; and Melbourne-Vero Beach, Fla., USA Today reports.
The new airline will start service July 13 with Boeing 737s and the $9 fares will be available for the first nine customers on each flight through Oct. 31, according to TravelZoo. After that, fares range from $29 to $59.
Restrictions apply and as USA Today notes: “Passengers will pay extra to check bags or have a soft drink.” For example, the $18 round-trip ticket to Toledo is actually $49.20 once fees and taxes are includes. Plus it’s an extra $10 per segment if you’d like a reserved seat, and the checked-bag fee is $20.
USA Today also points out that JetAmerica is not, techinically, an airline but a public charter company since it’s contracting with Miami Air International to provide and operate the aircraft.
Earlier: Southwest to start LaGuardia to Midway, BWI in June
May 27, 2009 12:26 PM Comments (0)
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LaGuardia Airport gets its own MetroCard machines
One of the cheapest ways to get from LaGuardia Airport to Manhattan just got a little easier now that MetroCard machines have been installed at the airport.
“The machines are located on the lower level inside of the Central Terminal Building, near the bus stop for MTA New York City Transit’s M60, Q33, and Q72 bus routes,” according to the most recent newsletter from the Port Authority of NY and NJ, which manages the NYC-area airports.
Several retailers in LaGuardia’s passenger terminals also sell prepackaged MetroCards, which are used on MTA buses and subways.
Without a MetroCard, riders must pay the $2 fare in coins. (No pennies, paper money - and no change is given.) And of course, the $2 bus fare rises to $2.25 as of June 28.
The Port Authority website lists the ground transportation options from LaGuardia, including the popular M60 bus, which stops at Columbia University, map.
May 20, 2009 2:24 PM Comments (1)
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Amtrak cuts Northeast fares 25 pct through summer
Amtrak said today it has slashed fares on its Northeast Regional trains by 25 percent through the summer as long as passengers purchase at least 14 days in advance.
Amtrak is also extending the same deal on the faster Acela Express trains through the summer as well. The current Acela deal was set to expire June 26.
The new 25-percent deal is good for travel from June 2 through September 3.
The 25-percent discount also applies to Keystone service between Philadelphia and New York, and service south of Washington, to Newport News, on Amtrak’s Vermonter.
On the Northeast Regional trains you’ll be able to get a one-way ticket between New York City and Washington D.C. for $49 rather than the current $72; NYC to Philadelphia for $34 rather than $45; NYC and Boston for $49 rather than $62; or NYC and Baltimore for $48 instead of $64.
Acela fares from New York are as low as $99 to Washington and $79 to Boston.
Although restrictions apply, the deals can be paired with Amtrak’s everyday Kid’s Half Price fare for up to two children ages 2 to 15.
(Thanks to the unofficial AmtrakNews on Twitter for the tip.)
May 19, 2009 6:33 AM Comments (0)
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BoltBus half price for Earth Day; Greyhound adds wi-fi
BoltBus is halving its fares for Earth Day, offering trips from New York to DC for $12.50, Philadephia for $7.50 and $10 to Boston.
The fares are good for travel on April 22.
“Each person who rides BoltBus takes a car off the road,” said BoltBus General Managar David Hall said in a statement announcing the deal.
Normally, one-way fares start at $1, (plus a booking fee) if you book far enough in advance.
BoltBus is a division of Greyhound Lines, Inc., which is also making news with its flagship Greyhound bus service.
Greyhound is rolling out new buses with free Wi-Fi, power outlets, better legroom - and a new logo, according to the New York Times. Greyhound also lets you buy a priority boarding pass for $5.
Wi-fi is already available on BoltBus, and was available on competitor MegaBus when it debuted in May. But the MegaBus website no longer makes mention of on-board wi-fi. If you call MegaBus customer service you’ll be told that some of their buses in the Northeast have wi-fi, but there’s no way to know when booking if you’ll happen to get Internet.
(Note: An @MegaBus rep on Twitter says all buses do have wi-fi installed. She’s in the process of tracking down why the website no longer lists on-board Internet and why a MegaBus telephone rep would say only “some” buses have wi-fi. Update: The MegaBus spokeswoman said by e-mail that “(a)ll megabus.com buses are equipped with wi-fi. Buses with power outlets are being integrated into the fleet. And as always, bathrooms are available.” Additionally in a telephone interview she said she will try to correct the discrepancies on the website and from telephone customer service.)
Related: The new website BusJunction lets you search for tickets on tickets from all major discount bus lines.
(Thanks to the Boston Globe’s Globetrotting blog for the BoltBus tip.)
Picture credit: Amy Langfield/NewYorkology
Earlier: LimoLiner bus adds Hartford with $39 one-way fare
Tripper Bus offering $1 fare between NYC-DC area
Amtrak exploring wi-fi options for train travel
Delta to launch free wi-fi on Shuttle on Tuesday
April 21, 2009 8:24 AM Comments (0)
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US Helicopter revives $99-to-the-airport special rate
 US Helicopter - which resumed service at the Wall Street heliport last month — today announced it will also revive its $99-to-the-airport sale.
The Spring Special Fare of $99 is good for a one-way eight-minute trip between Manhattan and either JFK or Newark airports.
When checking in at Wall Street or the East 34 Street heliport, passengers and their luggage clear TSA-approved security. And as long as they’re connecting to a US Helicopter codeshare partners — Continental Airlines at Newark and Delta at JFK — they don’t need to clear security again at the airports.
The $99 fare must be purchased by May 14 for travel no later than August 31.
There are blackout dates on May 21, May 22, July 1 and July 2. US Helicopter does not fly on weekends or holidays.
April 14, 2009 7:32 AM Comments (0)
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Southwest to start LaGuardia to Midway, BWI in June
Southwest Airlines will start its LaGuardia Airport service June 28 with service to Chicago Midway and Baltimore/Washington, the Dallas-based company announced this morning.
Southwest will fly five daily nonstop flights between Chicago Midway and LaGuardia, and three daily nonstop between Baltimore/Washington and LaGuardia, the company said.
Fares will start at $89 one-way for flights to Chicago Midway (MDW) flights and $49 one-way for Baltimore/Washington (BWI) flights if you purchase by April 20 for travel through Aug. 13. (Fees are extra, and Fridays and Sundays are blacked out, plus July 2-6.)
In November, Southwest bought assets from the bankrupt ATA Airlines, including landing spots at LaGuardia. Currently, Southwest’s closest airport is the Long Island MacArthur Airport.
The Southwest flights to New York will offer connections to more than 45 destinations including Los Angeles, Seattle, and Denver. The 38-year-old low-cost carrier currently serves 65 cities and will add Boston Logan in the fall.
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April 7, 2009 7:18 AM Comments (0)
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Book excerpt: In Queens with 'Public Art New York'
NewYorkology is pleased today to offer an extended excerpt chapter from the new book “Public Art New York” by architect Jean Parker Phifer and photographer Francis Dzikowski.
The book tackles all the best permanent public art in all five boroughs of New York City, but today’s preview focuses on Queens, including the WPA murals and an Alexander Calder mobile at LaGuardia and Kennedy airports, respectively.
Published just this week, “Public Art New York” is organized by neighborhood and includes maps helpful for travelers on foot or armchair. Phifer, a past president of the Art Commission of the City of New York, is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects and teaches Environmental Design at New York University. Dzikowski is an architectural photographer based in New York City.
Their book tour includes several NYC events at locations including the Skyscraper Museum and Urban Center Books.
Queens
Flight
James Brooks, Artist, 1938-40
Collection of the City of New York
Marine Air Terminal
Delano & Aldrich, Architects, 1937-40; Restoration by Beyer Blinder Belle, Architects, 1995-6
West end of LaGuardia Airport, Flushing
Built just before World War II at the urging of Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, the Marine Air Terminal originally served passengers for the legendary seaplanes known as Yankee Clippers. Over time, as air travel changed from seaways to runways, the terminal became divorced from the waterfront and was poorly renovated, masking its Art Deco style. The murals were inexplicably painted over in the 1950s but were restored in the late 1970s. Declared a New York City landmark, the terminal and its interior finally regained their former glory in the 1990s.
The colorful murals ringing the upper level of the interior of the original main hall are a striking reminder of the excitement and sophistication of the early days of air travel. Completed under the Works Progress Administration, the murals combine historical representation with artistic exuberance. Subjects include early biplanes, pilots undertaking navigational computations, and various representations of humanity benefiting from the advances of flight. The model of an old plane that now hangs from the middle of the dome is a perfect touch in this highly evocative public space.
New York Hall of Science
47-01 111th Street, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
The unusual concrete and glass core of this building was constructed to the designs of Harrison and Abramovitz for the 1964 World’s Fair. A new entrance and galleries by Beyer Blinder Belle were opened in 1996, and several fantastic outdoor science playgrounds by BKSK architects have been built since. The newest wing to the north, designed by the Polshek Partnership, opened in 2004. The upper Hall of Light in this wing is clad in a luminous membrane of translucent panels that brings filtered daylight into the interior exhibits. The terrific public art throughout the museum has been inspired by scientific inquiry and interprets natural phenomena in innovative ways to an audience of all ages. A few of these pieces are described on the following pages.
Sun Sculpture
Maty Grunberg, 1999
Collection of the City of New York
This gigantic astrolabe, 10 feet in diameter, sits in front of the entrance to the Hall of Science. Part artwork and part scientific instrument, it is a direct demonstration of how our daily and seasonal cycles are calibrated from the rotation of the earth around the sun. Whereas this sculpture celebrates the sun’s hegemony over human time, the collection of historic rockets displayed nearby documents man’s attempts to break free of earthly gravity to explore the solar system.
Inclined Light Wall
James Carpenter, 2004
Collection of the City of New York, Sponsored by the Percent for Art Program of the Department of Cultural Affairs
Installed on the inside of the north end of Polshek’s 2004 addition to the Hall of Science, James Carpenter’s slanted glass sculpture takes full advantage of the light streaming through the glass skylight above to project changing patterns and color on the wall. Because the sun and clouds are constantly moving across the sky, the intensity of the yellow color and the definition of the dot screens on both the inclined glass plane and the wall beyond continue to overlay in complex and evolving relationships. Located at the end of the wing, the piece acts as a magnet for visitors throughout the building and can be seen as well from the exterior. Says Carpenter, “It is a play on large-scale moire patterns that shift with the viewers’ movement through the space.”
Soul in Flight: A Memorial to Arthur Ashe
Eric Fischl, Sculptor; Mark Sullivan, Landscape Architect, 2000
Collection of the City of New York
National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park
From what we get, we make a living; What we give, however, makes a life.
- Arthur Ashe
The sculptor Eric Fischl, selected to design this memorial by a committee that included Ashe’s widow, opted to represent Ashe’s athletic prowess and humanitarian spirit with a nude figure. The novelty of depicting a tennis champion in the midst of the serving motion totally in the buff has perplexed some of the star’s fans. But the muscled figure can be read as reaching heavenward in a universal gesture of striving and hope. The torqued counterpoint of the figure, recalling forms of classical sculpture, depicts the moment of recoil before the energy release of his mammoth tennis serve, evoking the graceful confidence of Arthur Ashe the champion.
Unisphere
Gilmore D. Clarke, 1964
Granite Pavement
Matt Mullican, Artist; Miceli Kulik Williams, Landscape Architects, 1995
Collection of the City of New York, Sponsored by the Percent for Art Program of the Department of Cultural Affairs
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, East of the Grand Central Parkway
Although the huge Unisphere, built for the 1964 World’s Fair in shiny stainless steel, is regarded by some as an incongruous relic of World’s Fair bombast, it has earned the fond regard of many as an example of mid-twentieth-century design and has been designated a New York City landmark. The gigantic globe, 120 feet in diameter, hovers over a large fountain with spray jets that add palpably to its appeal in the hot summer months. The extensive area of pavement around the fountain has been reinvigorated with highly detailed pictorial depictions of historical events in the vicinity of the park, etched with matte finish into the polished black granite. The scale of the whole ensemble, therefore, is an odd mix of the gargantuan and the minute, isolated in the huge expanse of the sprawling park.
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April 3, 2009 4:28 AM Comments (0)
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Act fast, $18 JetBlue sale good through April 8 only
Online Travel Review is alerting readers to a great sale at JetBlue with seats from $18.
The advice: “Hurry!”
April 2, 2009 10:02 AM Comments (0)
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