White Plains CitizeNetReporter - Westchester Air Prez: Charters UP on <i>WPW</i> at 7:30 Fri. on 71.Fly Zone Rule

Millie Hernandez-Becker, President of Westchester Air, White Plains, gives viewers of White Plains Week a glimpse into air travel of the future Friday on the White Plains weekly news review show. Ms. Hernandez-Becker comments on air travel security, the ability of the major airlines to recover, and how air travel will change in the future. She reports charter airlines are booming, and does not expect the commercial airlines to recover because of their thin margins.

The woman who went from ticket agent to the President of her own airline, and Northeast Hispanic Businesswoman of the year, talks with John Bailey, of WPCNR, Jim Benerofe of SuburbanStreet.com and Alex Philippidis, Editor of the Westchester County Business Journal on White Plains Week at 7:30PM Friday on Channel 71.

Millie Hernandez-Becker, President and CEO, Westchester Air with one of her babies for hire, a Gulfstream Jet at Westchester County Airport. She is interviewed tonight on White Plains Week by John Bailey, Alex Philippidis and Jim Benerfore. Cabletime is 7 PM on Channel 71.Photo by JOHN VECCHIOLLA

Ms. Hernandez-Becker states on the show that the Federal Bureau of Investigation has reviewed and made extensive suggestions for security at the airport among all the carriers. She reveals that her charter air travel service, Westchester Air has been fully booked since the World Trade Center attack, and has made arrangements to double the size of their air fleet by next year.

Becker expects that the major air carriers are not going to make it despite billions in federal aid. “I know how thin their margins are,” Becker says, on the show, implying that no amount of money can replace the lack of flying customers.

Charters nationally offering direct routes. Westchester Air inaugerates Palm Beach shuttle.

Becker reports that companies around the nation are now actively booking up companies for regular company flights to cities those companies fly to on a regular basis. Becker, who pioneered the marketing of charter flights to businesses in the mid-90s, remarked that her airline has originated a Palm Beach shuttle as a regular service for $2,500 roundtrip which departs for the weekends.

She also reports that her airline is working on inaugurating regular non-stop shuttles to Cleveland and Detroit shortly. She says, this is a trend she sees rapidly developing: companies arranging charter direct flights that eliminate the commercial carrier hub system annoyance of flying to Atlanta to get to Dallas, or flying to Charlotte to reach Atlanta.

“I can’t see the hub system surviving,” she says on the show, and tells you why. The program will be repeated Friday at 7:30 PM.

Comment on "no fly zone."

Ms. Hernandez-Becker also said in remarks after the completion of the video taping that air space over Westchester County is being tightly controlled. She remarked that private aircraft as well have to file a VFR (visual flight rules) Flight Plan. There are no more joy rides. She said that if you as a pilot deviate from your flight plan route you are told to get back on your course and if you do not immediately comply you will be told to land and subject to pursuit. "You cannot, for instance, linger over the Indian Point facility," Hernandez-Becker said. "Military aircraft will engage."


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