Thank you all for the advice. It seems that HY hasnt posted their schedules for JFK-TAS yet, but when they do I will be calling around to get a quote. Whoever answered their phone spoke very poor English, and I speak very poor Russian, so it was fairly humorous trying to get my point across.

At the moment I am considering JFK-RIX with HY, and then on the way back taking a LCC to Germany and then finding a cheap way home.

Latvia is tough to get to from most other Eastern European countries because the rails are Soviet Style. The 'easiest' way to Riga from Poland or farther west is with Ecolines bus lines, Berlin-Warsaw-Vilnius-Riga, however by train is also possible Cologne-Warsaw/ Warsaw-Vilnius/ Bus Vilnius-Riga or once nightly Train Vilnius-Sankt Petersburg stops in Daugavpils, where I have a few contacts. I have taken Ecolines bus from Riga-Moscow, and Sankt Petersburg-Riga, and would really love to avoid riding with them. We will see what I choose, but if i take HY, i will be more than happy to report back on their JFK-RIX service.
Thanks all. Any other ideas are welcome