Beter to err on the side of caution and leave plenty of time especially if checking a bag. BF checkin helps and while there isn't a dedicated security lane just for BF customers there are Elite Access lanes in EWR for BF, Dom F, and elites however there are so many CO elites in EWR it sometimes doesn't make a difference which security line you're in.

My advice would be to go as early as you can and just hang out in the PC while you wait for your flight. My preference is the club on the C1 concourse which is on the second floor overlooking the food court. The bartender who usually works Friday nights is a really nice guy and should something go wrong with your flight I've found the desk agents who tend to work more in that club are a bit more pleasant to work with than those at the club between C2 and C3. Of course that's just my opinion and I'm sure others will tell you just the opposite. Either way, enjoy yourflight.

I've never--I repeat never--had to wait more than 15-20 minutes to clear security at EWR terminal C.

Any--I repeat any--Monday morning before around 8:00, you'll wait 15-20 minutes just to be let upstairs to wait in the security line......at least 45-60 minutes total....sometimes more.

If US Helicopter operated flights from Princeton on Trenton airports to EWR, I'd be on that all the time.....I think it could even outsell NJ Transit to the EWR station (assuming you could go through security at PCT or TTN).

wow that's frightening. never run into it, but never flown out early monday morning. i have noticed early mornings in general are tougher. based on this guy's blog post monday is a long standing problem

http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=9075

surprised it hasn't been mentioned more. unacceptable for express to wait that long on a regular basis, but then as we all know rarely is the elite line shorter at newark.

on the helicopter -- took my last trip a week ago thursday. i had a 7pm flight, and got slammed with something at work, so it turned into take the helicopter or miss the flight (i work across the street from the pad).

called at 430 to try to get on the 6. unfortunately it took the continental folks about 30 minutes to figure out how to add the segment to my res; eventually got shuttled to an 'exec' desk (what's that i don't know) and they figured it out. meanwhile i'm typing feverishly while on hold to get the work done.

turns out trying to add a helicopter segment when you've already checked in is a problem for them. ended up losing my seat in the process as well. fortunately it was in first but if i had lost an exit row on a transcon flight would have been furious.

I wonder if the recent small plane/helicoper crash was the lynch pin here. People afraid to fly over the Hudson.

Helicopters were already unsafe. I've always been amazed that the President flies in one, but his is better maintained and supported.

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9630/4.7.1.40 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

Well neither the JRB nor TSS routes actually really fly up the hudson so I'm not sure that matters too much. And my understanding is that the tourist helo shops are not suffering much lost business, so I don't think that's really it.

As you would suspect, it's some messy and desperate financing behind it. Revenue story was never great in good times.

All looks very messy; basically they started some reorg plan in the spring -- when the equity value dipped to essentially zero, and more recently got some small high rate bridge loans from a Kuwati investor due by the end of the year. Looks like they are trying for some private placement for funds as well, but cash strapped in the meantime.

http://yahoo.brand.edgar-online.com/...9012-09-001226

I actually get around this all the time by just going through check-in/security at terminal A and taking the bus.....it's saved me from missing my flight a few times. :eek:

Great idea. But getting TSA to go to into what are now municipal airports (since TTN lost its commercial service) would be a lot more difficult than just asking politely and telling them that whirlybird service is coming.

I've been there many times for 7:00am flights on Mondays and I've never experienced this. I do, however, often scout out all three C checkpoints and pick the shortest line.

When US flew to PIT from TTN, I took it a few times and security was a breeze (as expected). I thought DL had daily flight to ATL from there but that may be gone now and I'm too lazy to check. Either way, I guess getting chopper service from TTN is a bit of a long shot, but a guy can dream right?

You're right about the 7:00 AM flights....it's the departures between 8:00 and 9:30 that have always caused me :rolleyes:. I'll always have the parking van drop me at C just in case but the last 3 or 4 times, I've skedaddled over to A when I saw how wobbly-bonkers things were.

I can't imagine a helicopter operation out of TTN being financially successful if no one can make it work out of Manhattan.

Yeah....I'm sure you're right about that....unless the Essential Air Service laws cover it but with EWR and PHL so close, I doubt it.