Management teams at Signature Flight Support and Fort Lauderdale Jet Center are locked in a war of words over the right to operate the sole general aviation FBO at New York La Guardia Airport (LGA), and it’s the airport operator that looks to be the only winner. Close to the heart of the matter are statements made by former New York Sen. Alphonse D’Amato, whose firm was hired as a consultant by Signature midway through the controversy. Jet Center claims D’Amato acted as a lobbyist, contrary to bidding rules, using his political influence in Signature’s favor. Business tycoon Donald Trump, on the other hand, has weighed in on the side of the Jet Center team.
After a controversial bid process that lasted more than two years, all current submissions have been thrown out, and a new request for proposals was released last month. The final decision on who wins the bid will come from the airport operator, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. A complex collaborative body operated jointly by both states, the Port Authority also operates New York JFK Airport and Newark Liberty International (EWR) and Teterboro Airport (TEB) in New Jersey. The massive authority is also responsible for administering bridges and tunnels, as well as bus, rail and shipping terminals that serve the New York City area.
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