more than 2.5 million revenue passengers. The system is now carrying nearly 32,000 riders per day. About 8,000 to 8,500 of the daily riders are revenue passengers who arrive or depart at the off-airport AirTrain JFK terminals at Jamaica and Howard Beach. The one-day record for paid ridership was set last month, with 13,767 passengers on the day before Thanksgiving. The previous one-day mark was Friday, September 3, with 12,106 paid riders. New York Governor George E. Pataki said, “For decades, a mass-transit rail alternative at JFK was only a dream, but thanks to dedicated Port Authority staff, we made it a reality. One year and nearly nine million passengers later, it’s proven to be a success. Our next step is to link the airport with Lower Manhattan, and we’ll continue to devote our resources to making this important initiative a reality too.”

state or federal taxes. It was funded through a combination of Port Authority funds and revenue from a $3 surcharge on departing passengers at the region’s three major airports under the federal Passenger Facility Charge program.

the Peace Light from Dr. Thomas Ertlthaler PhD., International Scouting Commissioner for Austria. Distribution of the Peace Light commenced immediately after the Welcome Ceremony which included ecumenical prayers, inspirational messages and hymns. Thomas was greeted with the hymn "Let there be Peace On Earth, and Let it begin with me!".

Mirovsky and Janet Abreu-Hamilton as Mr. and Mrs. Claus and to newcomer elves Elizabeth Marcantonio, Carmen Rice, and Cindy Ford (not pictured) for their good-natured participation braving the chill winds.

coast to coast travel. These are only a few of the groundbreaking aviation firsts for this innovative airline. More importantly, TWA wanted to portray to it’s customers an airline with the customer as the king. Their customer service was second to none. During the aviation industry’s halcyon days of the 50’s and 60’s when airlines were growing and there appeared to be no end in sight, TWA and Pan Am were both very focused on bringing ... SEE PAGE 10

Copa Airlines, the official airline of Panama began service in 1947. Today the airline flies to 31 destinations in 20 countries in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean from its Hub of the Americas at Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, Panama, one of the most efficient and successful hubs in Latin America. Copa recently initiated service out of JFK’s Terminal 4 and is excited about it’s new home and it’s potential for increasing it’s customer service offerings and destinations. And is proud to introduce Mr. Juan Alvarez, the newly appointed JFK Airport Manager. Copa’s fleet consists of state-of-the-art functionality and range. The only differences are the number of passengers they carry. These aircraft are equipped with modern, flat-panel video displays, have a variety of in-flight entertainment options, a good selection of hot meals and complimentary drinks Copa also has tourism plans and packages via Copa Vacations which include transportation lodging, and tours. Beginning January 2nd, Copa is proud to announce a direct service from New York’s JFK to Guayaquil, Ecuador with a stop in Panama. Airport Press welcomes Copa to Terminal 4 and wishes them success at their new location. For more information visit Copa’s web-site at: www.copaair.com or at JFK Airport office: 718-751-4691.

Copa Airlines inició sus operaciones en 1947. Actualmente la aeorolínea, socio estratégico de Continental Airlines vuela a 31 destinos en 20 países de Norte, Centro, Sur América y el Caribe. Desde su centro de conexiones el Hub de las Américas ubicado en el aeropuerto internacional de Tocumen de la ciudad de Panamá, en Panamá es uno de los centros de conexiones más eficientes y exitosos en Latinoamérica. Además Copa ofrece vuelos a otros 120 destinos internacionales a través de acuerdos de Código compartido con las aerolíneas Continental y Mexicana. Copa ha iniciado recientemente sus servicios desde la Terminal 4 del aeropuerto Kennedy y está complacida con su nuevo hogar y el servicio que esto representa para la comodidad y conveniencia de sus clientes. La compañía le da la bienvenida y se enorgullece en presentar a Juan Alvarez, el nuevo gerente de Copa Airlines en el aeropuerto Kennedy, quien estará disponible
junto con su equipo de trabajo para asistir a los pasajeros y asegurarles la mejor experiencia de viaje. Las oficinas de JFK pueden ser contactadas al 1-718-751-4691. La flota de Copa Airlines está compuesta por modernos aviones Boeing 737-
700 y 800, con la más avanzada tecnología. Estas aeronaves están equipadas con modernas pantallas planas de video que permite a los pasajeros disfrutar de entretenimiento a bordo con 12 canales de música y video todo esto acompañado de una selección gastronómica internacional sin costo adicional. A través de Copa Vacations, ofrece paquetes turísticos que incluyen transporte, alojamiento y tours.
A partir del 2 de enero, Copa Airlines anuncia su nuevo servicio directo a Guayaquil, Ecuador con una escala en Panamá. Para Reservaciones llamar al 1-212- 599-0882 / 0883. Visite la pagina de Internet de Copa www.copaair.com, o tambien 1-800-FLY-COPA.

Atlantic, Swiss International, Singapore Airlines, Copa Airlines, Varig Airlines, Affiliated Business Services, Triangle Runway, and Universal Airlines. Hudson News supplied the fashions and accessories for the “I ❤ NY” segment and Holiday in New York. The colorful silk scarves of The Metropolitan Museum of Art Store were displayed on unlikely male models. The Tie Rack featured the accessories. The program opened with Frank Sinatra’s “Come Fly With Me”, performed by Broadway dancers portraying passengers rushing through shopping pilots and flight attendants then breaking into high flying dance. Alain Maca, President of JFK IAT LLC, which operates Terminal 4, welcomed guests to the “Grand Opening Celebration”. The concept behind the Shops at Terminal 4 is an innovation in airport retailing, with a street pricing policy and assortment of shops. The airline fashion on display included six decades of former airline attire dating back to the 1940’s. The fashion show initialized a series of events including: in-store discount, promotions, raffle prizes, demonstrations and tickets airlines. More then 50 domestic and international carriers representing 40 countries operates from Terminal 4 – IAT and handles more than 6 million passengers annually.

Vincent’s Italian Restaurant & Clam Bar in Howard Beach hosted the Airport Press Annual Christmas luncheon. The entire staff had a good time; the food was excellent, the service great and the portions served made even our editor blink.