March 18, 2008

Don’t let the holiday hustle be more of a hassle. If you’re flying out of Westchester County Airport for spring break or the Easter and Passover holidays, get a ride. Don’t drive. With more flights to popular destinations than ever before and with thousands of people traveling over the next few months, there are simply not enough parking spaces for everyone.

County Executive Andy Spano said, “Flying out of Westchester is so easy and convenient. But travelers need to keep in mind that this is a busy time for air travel and unfortunately there’s just not enough parking at the county airport to accommodate our passengers.  We want everyone’s trip to and from the airport to be as enjoyable as possible. If you plan ahead and get a ride to the airport, it will be.”

One of the ways the airport has worked to accommodate those passengers who get a ride to and from the airport is the new cell phone waiting area. Motorists meeting arriving passengers can wait there until passengers call to say they are ready to be picked up at terminal curbside. The area has an electronic sign giving airline arrival times.

Spano said the cell phone lot not only gives motorists a convenient place to wait for passengers, it will also stop motorists from having to circle around the airport waiting for their passengers to arrive.

“The addition of the cell-phone lot was a tremendous help during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays when the airport was so busy,” said Spano. “It has made picking up passengers much more convenient.”

The airport management, the airlines and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) have been working cooperatively to ensure a positive experience for travelers flying out of Westchester. The airlines have been particularly helpful in notifying passengers that parking is limited when reservations are made or emailingthem when flights are booked online. The airport has also taken out paid advertisements, put up signs and is
distributing promotional materials. Inside the terminal, the TSA is putting additional staff on duty to operate at maximum efficiency and meet the high demand for passenger and baggage screening.
 
To enhance customer service, there have been a number of improvements at the airport in recent months.  The passenger security screening and baggage claim areas have been improved to reduce waiting time, the Registered Traveler program has been introduced, and in the departure lounge, seating has been increased from 85 to 220 seats and food service is now available.

Another alternative is AirLink, the new bus service that runs between downtown White Plains and the airport. AirLink service departs from the White Plains Metro-North Railroad Station and the White Plains Bus Terminal for the airport approximately every 30 minutes, weekdays between 6:35 a.m. and 9:06 p.m.   Buses from the airport depart on a similar schedule between 7:36 a.m. and 9:36 p.m.  On Saturdays, Sundays and most holidays, AirLink service begins and ends at the same times, but morning and midday operations are hourly; late afternoon and evening service are every 30 minutes. More than 12,000 people have used AirLink since the service began last June.

For information on parking alternatives, travelers can visit www.westchestergov.com/airport or call 914-995-RIDE.