Results tagged “laguardia”

Congressman Fiorello LaGuardia once declared: "No greater monument to the life and activity of the Republic can be imagined than Governors Island as a national airport." Today the Daily News looks back at one of the ideas for the island that never quite came to be...

There were no opportunities for aerial derring-do during yesterday's bird strike at LaGuardia airport, and no panic among the passengers aboard American Airlines Flight 1256, which hit a bird during its final approach at 10:54 a.m. The plane, en route from Miami, was at 900 feet when it hit the bird, and FAA spokesman Jim Peters tells Newsday, "The plane landed without incident, under power." Unlike the spectacular double-engine bird strike that brought down Flight 1549 in January, yesterday's bird was apparently not ingested by the engines. Passengers were unaware of the incident, and were told after the landing, when the plane had to be towed to the gate. According to the Daily News, there were 96 bird strikes at LaGuardia last year alone, and the tabloid gets some expert analysis from one Kalya Brizo, a 22-year-old "frustrated flier" from Bayside. Informed about the incident, she declares, "Again? I think the whole bird thing is a big problem. They really should do something about it." Beyond killing all birds on sight, anyone have any other suggestions?

After months of speculation, Southwest Airlines announced it will start flight service from New York's LaGuardia Airport to Chicago Midway and Baltimore-Washington International Airports on June 28. In good news for travelers (and bad news for other carriers), the NY Times reports, "For New York travelers, Southwest’s prices could affect fares in and out of La Guardia in the way that JetBlue Airways has affected fares in and out of Kennedy Airport. One-way flights to Chicago Midway will start as low as $89, and flights to Baltimore-Washington will start at $49 one way." Southwest will have five daily departures to Chicago and three to Baltimore; schedule planning's lead planner Bill Owen blogged, "We've done some interesting network design work--both up-front and behind the scenes--to make sure we take care of y'all, given the uniqueness of operating at LaGuardia, in true Southwest Airlines style. As always, Southwest is putting our Customers first. Gee, putting Customers first--talk about something new for air travellers in the Big Apple......... *grin*"

As it faces criticism over engine maintenance, American Airlines says the engine of a Chicago-bound plane that failed because of an object that was sucked in. However, in this post-Flight 1549 world, American doesn't think it was a bird; "early speculation" is that the object may be from an earlier flight (the engine was sent to Tulsa for inspection). The flight had taken off from Laguardia on Tuesday morning and, about 20 minutes in, something caused dozens, if not hundreds, of pieces of sharp metal to fall over a warehouse in College Point, Queens. The flight made an emergency landing at JFK and no one was hurt from the plane or on the ground. Yesterday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the plane had a recent history of engine issues and was overdue for inspection; American disputed that and said, "There was nothing in our previous maintenance checks to indicate any issue that could be related or connected to the failure of this engine."

Birds—they think they own the skies. Ever since the Wright Brothers they've been vying for supremacy up there, landing their first fatal blow in 1912 by downing a plane into the surf off Long Beach, California. Yesterday's emergency landing in the Hudson River was just the latest chapter in an ongoing pitched battle between bird and plane. Of course, from the point of view of the Canada geese believed to have been consumed by both engines of U.S. Airways Airbus A320, yesterday's strike must have seemed a bit of a Pyrrhic victory (though there's probably a sweet flock of virgin geese greeting them in the afterlife, hey-oh).

Times reporter C.J. Hughes rode the M60 bus to La Guardia a few days ago and describes a frustrating scene: The only direct public transportation link between Manhattan and the airport is horribly overcrowded and slooow. It took Hughes two hours to get from 106th and Broadway to La Guardia—twice as long as scheduled. During the trip he watched as "two dozen people" with luggage tried to squeeze on, but "a wave of exiting riders, shouting loudly, pushed them right back off." Ridership on the M60 has grown by 263% in the last 10 years, but a spokesman for the MTA explains away the overcrowding as simply a "one-day aberration" caused by delays related to "unusual roadwork" on the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge. And besides, riders like Ben Mitchell—who rode buses in Africa in the Peace Corps—points out that "you could easily fit 50 more people in here without a problem. This is nothing."

The U.S. Department of Transportation limiting flights at LaGuardia Airport to 71 per hour, down from 75 per hour, would help ease plane delays. (FYI, the Wall Street Journal notes, "The number of hourly flights at the New York area's Kennedy and Newark airports is also capped, but at higher levels.") DOT Secretary Mary Peters said LGA is the "worst of the worst" airports since it's dead-last in rankings of large U.S. airports' on-time arrivals, with only 61% of flights arriving on-time. Recently, the U.S. DOT's effort to auction flight slots at LGA, Kennedy and Newark was blocked by federal court; DOT counsel D.J. Gribbin, who noted one carrier at LGA was interested in limiting flights (the airport's four carriers must all agree), said, "Gridlock in D.C. should not result in gridlock over the skies of New York. We can still take the first step toward restoring reliable air service to LaGuardia."

A court order put a delay on the plan to auction off takeoff and landing slots at NYC's area airports. The Bush administration has said auctioning 10% of flight slots would help alleviate air traffic and raise money for upgrades, but the Port Authority (which manages LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark) as well as NY and NJ lawmakers hate the idea, arguing it would drive up ticket prices. The NY Times reports that the delay will likely push "the proposal into the Obama administration, where it may die." Senator Chuck Schumer said, "Slot auctions will cause chaos in the skies and on the ground, and must not be bum-rushed through by a lame-duck administration."

In a recent Zagat survey, 10,000 frequent fliers ranked LaGuardia the worst out of America's 27 biggest airports, the Daily News reports. JFK didn't fare much better either, coming in fourth from the bottom of the list. Zagat Buzz has more on the survey, which declared Tampa the best airport in the land. Speaking to the News on her way through LaGuardia, 40-year-old Jennifer Thayer of Colorado Springs griped that the airport "seems like it's out of the 1960s. There's not a whole lot of choices." Never mind how a place without choices resembles the swinging sixties; what bothers Thayer is that "they don't have those massage people." Not true! Tomorrow, Lather Spa is giving out free massages in Delta’s Crown Room Club. But too little, too late for Thayer; she's already back in Colorado, where they say the airports smell of sandalwood and ambrosia.

The Dallas Morning News reports that Southwest Airlines confirmed it is buying ATA Airlines for ATA's operating slots at LaGuardia Airport. A Southwest spokeswoman said, "The intent is not to operate ATA Airlines. The intent is to allow Southwest Airlines to acquire the LaGuardia slots." NBC New York directs us to Southwest's Leader Planner Bill Owen's blog post, "This isn’t just big news, it’s huge. GINORMOUS! I think h-e-double-hockey-sticks just froze over…and I am certain a number of my friends in this industry have yet to pick their jaws up off of the floor!" Owen then explains why LGA is so coveted--"it’s the closest major airport to Manhattan. What Love Field is to Dallas, Hobby Airport is to Houston, and Midway Airport is to Chicago, LaGuardia Airport is to New York City." Southwest does not fly to LGA or JFK or Newark--just MacArthur (so far).

Stewart International Airport in Orange County, NY is losing one of its two major carriers--AirTran. The airline cited rising fuel costs, which are affecting all carriers negatively, as the reason for its ending of routes from Stewart. AirTran carried 315,000 passengers over the last year to Florida destinations and its Atlanta hub. In combination with Jet Blue, AirTran has been critical to the near-tripling of passengers at the airport in 2007.

Photo: Food of the Future

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a shooting on East 169th St. and Franklin Ave. in the Bronx, an aircraft emergency at Laguardia in Queens, and a power outage on Laconia Ave. in the Bronx.
• The suit about seizing private property for another private owner in the name of public gain will move to the Supreme Court after a 3-judge panel ruled that Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards eminent domain actions were O.K. with them.
• Some subway graffiti suggesting who the real Cloverfield monster is.

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a bank robbery on 31st St. and 7th Ave. in Manhattan, an attempted sexual assault at Broadway and Gates Ave. in Brooklyn, and an aircraft incident at Laguardia in Queens.
• The Yankees Double-A farm team in Trenton has a mascot named Chase, who catches frisbees, brings water to umpires, and serves as a canine batboy. In his off hours, he managed to knock up the other team mascot, Cynderella, and they're expecting a litter soon. Congratulations to the both of them.
• Gov. Spitzer's budget, released today, is about $100 million shy of what educators were hoping for.

Why wasn't this monkey in the care of a zoo or someone who was qualified to care for monkeys? The Feds are nothing but a bunch of incompetent buffoons

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: three pedestrians struck on 65th St. and 7th Ave. in Brooklyn, a tourist bus vs. building incident on 51st St. and Broadway in Manhattan, and a train derailment on East 239th St. in the Bronx.
• 47 years ago, two planes bound for Laguardia and JFK collided over Miller Field on Staten Island in mid-air. As body parts, Christmas presents, and debris rained from the sky over Staten Island, 132 people lost their lives. One of the two planes crashed in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
• A $35 million to $45 million renovation at Lincoln Center will displace the New York City Opera through the 2008-09 season.
• A Jewish family in Orange County, NY was the victim of a campaign of harassment by other Orthodox individuals. The local cops had to discontinue their investigation because no one was snitchin'.
• Aw, just in time for the holidays the Reds have gone Green. The Communist Party spent $1 million to make its NY headquarters more environmentally friendly.
• The driver in last week's passenger van-Q46 bus collision will not be facing criminal charges resulting from the accident that ejected a young girl from his vehicle, while she is still in critical but stable condition.
• Another grenade-related police shooting--this time of a man in Orange County, NY.
• A round-up of Christmas star cookie recipes.

Just the kind of thing needed for everyone to continue questioning in the current air traffic control situation at area airports. Two planes almost collided on Sunday at JFK Airport. Senator Charles Schumer said that an air traffic controller said, "That was the closest I have ever seen two airplanes get together." According to the NY Times (also, see image at right), a "37-seat commuter jet" almost collided with a "Boeing 747 cargo jet on...

Another reassuring tale of airport security. At JFK Airport yesterday, an airport security screener was able to board a plane - without a ticket. Apparently the man wanted to go the United Arab Emirates to see off his parents, so somehow he managed to board an Etihad Airways flights without a ticket or boarding pass. And, according to the AP, "when the plane's doors shut, [he] told a flight attendant what he had done." We...

The Thanksgiving Day and Thanksgiving Day Eve have emerged as some of the busiest travel days of the year. While the media shows shots of crowded airports and train stations on the Wednesdays before Thanksgiving (like today), the Bureau of Transportation Statistics says that when personal vehicle travel is included into calculations, "Thanksgiving Day is actually a heavier long-distance travel day [to and from a destination more than 50 or more miles away] than...

BENEFIT: Tonight catch a special performance by Alanis Morissette, while rubbing elbows with Matt Dillon...all for a good cause! The inaugural fundraising benefit for the Adrienne Shelly Foundation will be held this evening, and you can get in with a ticket from $150 to...well, $10,000 bucks. You'll be supporting the late Shelly's foundation which "supports the artistic achievements of female actors, writers and directors through a series of scholarships and grants." 6pm // Skirball Center...

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a missing patient at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, a car vs. overpass on Kings Highway in Brooklyn, and a truck explosion on 64th Rd. and 108th St. in Queens.
• A sharp-sighted deckhand on a Staten Island Ferry spotted a pistol sticking out of the pocket of a dim-witted passenger snoozing on a Sunday morning ferry. The passenger, who was arrested, had a long record of criminal weapons possessions.
• The wife of the slain orthodontist Daniel Malakov previously met with a political consultant to plan a custody protest with her daughter in front of the White House. She gave up her plan when advised that "nobody would care."
• Lindsay Lohan is reportedly looking to rejuvenate her image by appearing as the assistant manager at a fast-food restaurant on the television series "Ugly Betty."
• Strip-club Scores is sponsoring a food drive with collected food dedicated to City Harvest called "Cans for Cans." Club customers will gain free admission with a printed-out copy of the promotion from the business' web site and a donated can of food.
• A very interesting look at how pidgin Gaelic by Irish newcomers to NYC shaped modern American slang.
• Community Board 10 will be holding a public hearing on the proposed rezoning of 125th St. on November 14th.
• Bomb scare at Laguardia airport.

When it comes to driving routes for a JFK airport pickup, George Costanza advocates taking the Grand Central to the Van Wyck, deriding Kramer’s L.I.E. route as a “suicide mission.” In the current New York Magazine cover story, “How to Escape Airport Hell”, the editors invited chauffeur Kevin Sullivan to weigh in. While he comes down squarely on Costanza’s side, he also shares some invaluable alternative routes to all three airports in the unlikely...

It should come as no surprise, but New York's three major airports Laguardia, JFK, and Newark (in New Jersey) are the worst in the nation when it comes to on-time performance. The New York Post compiled a list of the ten worst flights when it comes to leaving or arriving in a timely manner. The absolute worst is Flight #588 from Miami to JFK, which fails to arrive on schedule 85% of the time, with an average delay of 62 minutes. The Post spoke to a number of late-arriving passengers who listed sick crew members, foul weather, and mechanical problems as reasons their flights were constantly behind. One man would have none of it though: "[the excuses] are not credible."

Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: a shooting on 155th Ave. and 79th St. in Queens, a bank robbery at the Chase branch on De Kalb and Bedford Ave. in Brooklyn, and a pedestrian struck at Hunts Point and Lafayette Aves. in the Bronx. The Guggenheim sent out a postcard inviting people to a seminar about Andy Warhol. The message on the reverse side is expletive-laced and describes Warhol and his fans in derogatory terms...

A direct flight between Laguardia and Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport should only take about two and a half hours. On August 24th, it took a planeload of passengers flying Delta flight 521 14 hours to make the trip in what participants quoted by CBS2 call "madness" and a "torturous" experience. The 170 passengers of flight 521 were subjected to the sort of journey that makes bus travel seem like an attractive option.

Souvenirs are usually inanimate doodads, so we must update the story of the man who smuggled a pygmy marmoset from Peru under his hat. The monkey attracted attention not from airport screeners in Lima or in Fort Lauderdale (where Spirit Airlines Flight 180 connected) but from passengers on the flight to Laguardia who noticed the monkey hanging from the man's ponytail.

Emergency newswires are reporting that Port Authority cops requested that the Emergency Services Unit hustle over to Laguardia's main terminal this afternoon - and with a cage - because there was a monkey on the loose inside the airport. The animal apparently arrived at Gate B6 on Spirit Airlines' Flight 180.

• Today on the Gothamist Newsmap: an aircraft emergency at Laguardia Airport in Queens, a carjacking on 7th Ave. and 115th St. in Manhattan, and a pedestrian fatally struck on Nostrand Ave. in Brooklyn.
• The director of the Public Theater's production of A Midsummers Night's Dream suffered four broken ribs and a collapsed lung after falling through a trap door at Central Park's Delacorte Theater during a rehearsal this week.
• Do not adjust the controls on your radio, 1010 WINS will be off the air between 12:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. Saturday morning to transition to HD broadcasting.
• Artists living in Carnegie Hall studio spaces are suing the Carnegie Hall Corporation to prevent their eviction. Carnegie Hall wants to renovate the space for educational programs.
• Spitzer aide Steven Mitnick resigned after admitting he threatened a Republican on the Public Service Commission. Mitnick repeatedly threatened the career of Cheryl Buley as she investigated ConEd after last summer's blackout.
• Streetsblog has a piece on citizen journalists filming the pernicious effects of traffic in Jackson Heights, Queens.
• Accused LES and East Village sex attacker Asuncion Dejesus-Garcia was released from custody after another crime fitting the same pattern as those he was accused of was committed while he was in jail.
• The New York Times looks at the decline of tar beach tanning in the city.