As the New York area geared up for the Super Bowl on February 2, the local FBOs were preparing for the arrival of hundreds of business aircraft along with their passengers and crews. In what has become a standard part of the Big Game day, most service providers planned to pull out all the stops with elaborate hangar parties to entertain flight crews waiting for their passengers, but Million Air chose to take that one step further with what it called the VIP Experience, a three-day party for passengers and crew alike at its Westchester County Airport facility that started the day before kickoff and ended the Monday after the game.
“We’re taking one of our hangars like we’ve normally done, we’re going to heat it and we’re going to convert it,” said Million Air president Roger Woolsey said before the event. “You will not recognize it as a hangar.” In preparation for the crowd, the hangar floor was carpeted and the space filled with large-screen televisions, couches and recliners, with catered buffet food and beverages available. As with past Super Bowls, there was even provision for passengers looking to bring home some souvenirs from a Super Bowl retail store in the hangar stocked with licensed memorabilia. Those purchases were delivered directly to the aircraft, sparing passengers the inconvenience of carrying them around at the stadium.
