Turns out they aren't basing the planes out of Lansing, and they then said Toledo, and later redacted that and said they don't know. They are really looking sort of amateurish/second-rate all of a sudden. They better find a way to get better message control from their reps, because all of this second-guessing and the lack of surefootedness isn't a good sign.
First, the U.S. Customs Station opened today.
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20090526/NEWS03/905260343/-1/newshome
Secondly, JetAmerica's website is now up and running. I just bought two round trip tickets direct from Lansing to Newark for $98.40 after all taxes, fees, etc.!
www.jetamerica.com
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20090526/NEWS03/905260347/1002/NEWS01/JetAmerica+closer+to+Lansing+launch
I usually go once a year, so I was planning on going sometime in the late summer anyway...but I'm glad to be able to support this service. Also, I have family in the Fairfax, VA area so I am really hoping they bring back the Baltimore flight they were originally proposing. Even if these flights weren't so darn cheap I'd do it just for the convenience of direct flights. I hate driving to Detroit and I hate connecting. Plus, I use the #14 CATA route to get to the airport so I don't deal with parking which I love.
I was a little surprised to see this article on MSNBC.com about JetAmerica - and especially surprised that it focused so much on Lansing! Unfortunately the focus was on the negative, but it's always nice to see the area talked about on a national scale.
Additionally, as an East Lansing native who lives in NYC, this is an absolutely fantastic development. What used to be a once-a-year visit with my parents can now be a weekend on a whim.
I also am really excited about this new service, just heard about it last week. My sister lives in Manhattan, so this will make for a lot more visits if JetAmerica proves to be a viable long-term mainstay in Lansing. Does anyone have any good recommendations for getting up into NY from Newark? My sister said there are buses, but I also thought she might have mentioned a light-rail? A cab would be far too expensive, probably wipe out most of what was gained from the cheap flight!
The initial flights are at a $9 dollar one-way rate, but it looks like their eventual one-way flights to Newark might still only be $39? This seems to me to be far too cheap, and I wonder if it is sustainable. Their company mainfesto claims that they can maintain these rates because they are basing their operations out of smaller airports against less competition. Also, their current "fleet" is only one plane, and their management group is made up of all of 4 people, but they're scheduled to add another plane mid-to-late summer.
Cabs from Newark Airport to Manhattan run around $50 (they will give you a flat rate when you tell them your destination at the taxi rank), while the AirTran light rail runs about $10 each way I think. However, the AirTran only gets you as far as Newark Penn Station, at which point you have to transfer to the PATH train (the New Jersey version of the subway that has several very convenient stops in Manhattan and connects with the subway system) which is $1.75. It's a cheap way to do it, but a hassle as well. There is also New Jersey Transit, the commuter light rail, which runs into Penn Station I believe. To catch the NJ Transit, you go to the Newark Airport train station and then transfer to a train to NY Penn Station, but that costs $15 each way plus the AirTran fee. There are cheap buses but depending on when you arrive traffic can be an issue. Many people opt for the cabs just because it's the easiest and most direct solution, and they are more nimble in traffic so even that is less of a worry. There are plans to extend the PATH train all the way to the airport which would allow direct access to Manhattan, but completion would be years off.
I know this is a bit garbled, but to be honest getting to Newark, or any of the area airports, is a bit of a mess...
In any case, there are a number of cheaper options. The cheapest is the AirTran to Newark Penn Station and then the PATH to the city.
Capital Region International Airport is now a federally designated foreign trade zone.
The federal government approved the Lansing airport's request last week, airport spokesman Bob Kolt said today. It took almost a year to complete the process.
The zone, which includes about 840 acres around the terminal and runways, allows businesses that import to avoid, reduce or delay paying duties.
Companies can store products in the zone to postpone duty payments until merchandise is ready for shipment.
That doesn't reduce taxes, but it helps companies with cash flow. Actual tax savings come when imported parts are used on-site to manufacture a finished product that has lower taxes than the individual parts. There are no duties on products exported from the zone.
Comments
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20090526/NEWS03/905260343/-1/newshome
Secondly, JetAmerica's website is now up and running. I just bought two round trip tickets direct from Lansing to Newark for $98.40 after all taxes, fees, etc.!
www.jetamerica.com
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20090526/NEWS03/905260347/1002/NEWS01/JetAmerica+closer+to+Lansing+launch
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30945230/
Additionally, as an East Lansing native who lives in NYC, this is an absolutely fantastic development. What used to be a once-a-year visit with my parents can now be a weekend on a whim.
The initial flights are at a $9 dollar one-way rate, but it looks like their eventual one-way flights to Newark might still only be $39? This seems to me to be far too cheap, and I wonder if it is sustainable. Their company mainfesto claims that they can maintain these rates because they are basing their operations out of smaller airports against less competition. Also, their current "fleet" is only one plane, and their management group is made up of all of 4 people, but they're scheduled to add another plane mid-to-late summer.
Cabs from Newark Airport to Manhattan run around $50 (they will give you a flat rate when you tell them your destination at the taxi rank), while the AirTran light rail runs about $10 each way I think. However, the AirTran only gets you as far as Newark Penn Station, at which point you have to transfer to the PATH train (the New Jersey version of the subway that has several very convenient stops in Manhattan and connects with the subway system) which is $1.75. It's a cheap way to do it, but a hassle as well. There is also New Jersey Transit, the commuter light rail, which runs into Penn Station I believe. To catch the NJ Transit, you go to the Newark Airport train station and then transfer to a train to NY Penn Station, but that costs $15 each way plus the AirTran fee. There are cheap buses but depending on when you arrive traffic can be an issue. Many people opt for the cabs just because it's the easiest and most direct solution, and they are more nimble in traffic so even that is less of a worry. There are plans to extend the PATH train all the way to the airport which would allow direct access to Manhattan, but completion would be years off.
I know this is a bit garbled, but to be honest getting to Newark, or any of the area airports, is a bit of a mess...
In any case, there are a number of cheaper options. The cheapest is the AirTran to Newark Penn Station and then the PATH to the city.