[ibimage==25386==Large==http://freshjets.com==self==ibimage_align-center]
You'd think the last thing travelers flying by private jet to the Super Bowl would have to think about was where they will park their jet. Reservations usually aren't required to land at the three closest airports to MetLife Stadium - Teterboro, Morristown Municipal and Newark Liberty, but like previous Super Bowls - the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires that area airports institute a reservations system for the days leading up to and a few days after the big game to ease congestion.
If you plan on flying to the super bowl on a private or charter jet, you better make a reservation now because slots are filling up fast and those without reservations will be forced to land at fields as far away as Trenton and White Plains. It doesn't look like Teterboro Airport is quite full as of yet and according to a manager at Jet Aviation - a fixed base operator (FBO) or executive terminal, the FAA has yet to restrict the airport or operators on reservations or aircraft slots. Most of the current restrictions relate to takeoffs following the game.
Overall, the Teterboro Airport's available parking for aircraft is dwindling quickly for the big event. I reached out to management at five of the FBO's at the airport and they all were relaying a similar message. Signature Flight Support, Landmark Aviation, Atlantic Aviation and Jet Aviation all seemed to still be taking reservations but emphasized that guests make reservations as soon as possible. On average, all of these operators said they were at least 75% full. The remaining FBO, Meridian Teterboro said they were 100% full for this year's Super Bowl and they currently have a wait list. After speaking with a manager at Meridian, it would definitely be worth it to hop at the wait list because things are constantly changing. She said there were two cancellations yesterday for rather larger aircraft which opens things up substantially for those on that list.
For example, Jet Aviation has logged over 200 reservations overall and is preparing for 150 to 200 arrivals and departures on game day alone which is a little more than double of what they usually handle. The reason that parking remains the biggest issue and challenge for these ground operations is because travelers want their planes to be immediately available for use. There are an estimated 600 spots available for parking at Teterboro alone and those who choose to park their jets there will have to wait at least an hour following the game in accordance with the FAA's temporary flight restriction. This temporary restriction includes an 8-mile radius around the stadium in East Rutherford, NJ so any game attendee that wants to leave early - must use an airport outside this area.
The threat of weather delays in the northeast is very imminent and these type of delays don't typically bode well with the private jet travelers. It's all about convenience and efficiency at big events such as the Super Bowl so ease of access and predictability are sought by travelers and operators. FBO employees and management at northeast airports serving this year's Super Bowl visited airports surrounding New Orleans for last year's big event and they see huge opportunities for improvements. These include parking planes neater and having more staff on hand to guide support operations such as limo drivers.
It's safe to say that if you plan on traveling to the Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium by private or charter jets - make your reservations for just about everything right now including your arrival, parking and departure slots. Otherwise, you will be a frustrated traveler diverted to airports afar or spend hours sitting on the ground.
This article was written by Timmy Wozniak, co-founder and CEO of Fresh Jets. Fresh Jets aggregates private jet schedule and pricing information and matches inventory to the travel needs of businesses and individuals instantly.