AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION INSTRUCTIONS
FOR PARENTS WHO SELECTED THE OPTIONAL AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION SERVICE

AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION SERVICE
Camp Cayuga provides transportation to/from four major International Airports on the first & last day of each camp session. On arrival day one of our staff members will personally escort your child from the terminal gate to Camp Cayuga. On departure day a staff member will accompany your child from Cayuga to the airline's terminal gate. Staff members will remain at the airport until they receive confirmation that your child's plane is in the air. To register for this optional service, complete/return the Airport Transportation Service Request Form that can be retrieved off our website's "Camp Forms" page or click here. After solidifying your camper's travel arrangements, you're required to complete/return the Airport Transportation Itinerary Form. This form can also be retrieved off the "Camp Forms" page or click here.

AIRPORTS AVAILABLE
Transportation to/from camp is available from 4 international airports:
WILKESBARRE/SCRANTON AIRPORT is the closest airport being only 35 miles from camp. However, it's the smallest airport on our list and your child will likely need to take a connecting flight into this airport.
NEWARK AIRPORT accommodates more non-stop direct flights and is closer to camp than LaGuardia and JFK Airports.
LAGUARDIA and JFK AIRPORTS are located in high-traffic areas of New York and are farthest from camp. Flights to/from LaGuardia and JFK may cost you less compared to Newark Airport, but your child's travel-time to Cayuga may increase an additional 2 (depending upon the time of day)!

SERVICE FEE
The Airport Transportation Service Fee varies depending upon the arrival & departure airport. The fee for each airport is indicated on the Airport Transportation Service Request Form.

FLIGHT TIMES ON ARRIVAL DAY
We realize the recommended times below may be inconvenient for some campers, but your effort is greatly appreciated. On arrival days, it's best to schedule your child's flight arrival time between 11:00am-2:00pm. Please do not schedule a flight arrival time before 11:00am at LaGuardia & JFK; before 10:00am at Newark Airport; or before 8:00am at WilkesBarre/Scranton Airport.

FLIGHT TIMES ON DEPARTURE DAY
On departure days from camp, it's best to schedule your camper's flight departure time between 3:00pm-6:00pm. Please do not schedule a flight departure time before 2:00pm at LaGuardia & JFK; before 12:00pm at Newark Airport; or before 9:00am at WilkesBarre/Scranton Airport.

UNACCOMPANIED MINOR PROGRAM  
Most airlines provide an Unaccompanied Minor Program (UMP) where an airline representative will assume the responsibility of supervising your child up to/beyond the security check point. For arrivals, the UMP usually includes escorting your child from the plane's gate to the baggage claim area. For departures, the UMP usually includes escorting your child from the security check point to the plane. Due to recent security changes in air travel, it's become increasingly difficult for our staff members to get beyond the airport's security point. However, the UMP improves our chances of receiving security clearance by allowing our staff member to take the place of the airline representative. This is only possible if you enroll your child in the UMP which can cost up to $50.
FOR ARRIVALS: If you do not select the UMP, our staff member will meet your child at the closest area beyond the security check point. This is usually the baggage claim area.
FOR DEPARTURES: If you do not select the UMP, the airline will require your child to pay the UMP fee at check-in because minors must have "parental oversight". Whether the "parental oversight" is provided by the airline or by Cayuga, it makes no difference to the airline as long as you pay their UMP fee.
CONFIRMATION: If you are successful in enrolling your child in the Unaccompanied Minor Program (UMP), be sure to get written confirmation and give us a copy. If the UMP is indicated on the plane ticket, that's sufficient and no other confirmation is required. If we have no written confirmation of the UMP or if it's not posted on the airline's computer, keep in mind that it can take up to 45 minutes to enroll your camper in the UMP at the time we check-in. Please help us avoid this delay by making the proper UMP arrangements at the time you purchase your ticket.

TRAVEL TIME FROM CAMP ON DEPARTURE DAYS
TRAVEL TIME FROM CAMP TO NEWARK AIRPORT: For domestic flights, your child will depart camp 6 hours prior to the scheduled flight departure time. This allows time for travel (3 hours), check-in (2 hours prior to flight time), parking & entry into terminal (1/2 hour), and possible traffic & security delays (extra 1/2 hour). For example, a domestic flight that departs Newark Airport at 10:30am would require your child to depart camp at 4:30am! For this reason, it's important to avoid flight departures before 12:00pm.
TRAVEL TIME FROM CAMP TO JFK & LAGUARDIA AIRPORT: For domestic flights, your child will depart camp about 7 to 8 hours prior to the scheduled flight departure time. Compared to Newark Airport, these airports require up to 2 additional hours of travel time for the likelihood of heavy traffic. Again, it's important to avoid flight departures before 2:00pm.
TRAVEL TIME TO WILKESBARRE SCRANTON AIRPORT: For domestic flights, your child will depart camp about 3 1/2 hours prior to the scheduled flight departure time. This allows time for travel (1 hour) check-in (2 hours prior to flight time), and possible traffic & security delays (extra 1/2 hour). So please, avoid flight departures before 9:00am.
TRAVEL TIME FOR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS: For all International Flights one additional hour of travel time is required. For Newark Airport, your child will depart Cayuga 7 hours prior to the scheduled flight departure time. For JFK & LaGuardia, your child will depart Cayuga about 8-9 hours before the scheduled flight departure time. It's best to schedule all international departures between 3:00pm-6:00pm, and avoid departures before 2:00pm at JFK/LaGuardia and 12:00pm at Newark Airport.

HOTEL FEE FOR EARLY ARRIVAL FLIGHTS
If your child's flight arrival time is before 11:00am at LaGuardia or JFK Airport; before 10:00am at Newark Airport; or before 8:00am at WilkesBarre/Scranton Airport, the camp will reserve a hotel room near the airport for our staff for the evening before your child's arrival flight. In this case, you'll be billed an additional $75 to partially cover the cost of the staff member's room.

HOTEL FEE FOR EARLY DEPARTURE FLIGHTS
If your child's flight departure time is before 2:00pm at LaGuardia or JFK Airport; before 12:00pm at Newark Airport; or before 9:00am at Wilkesbarre/Scranton Airport, the camp will reserve a hotel room near the airport for your child & our staff for the evening before your child's departure flight. In this case, you will be billed an additional $150 to partially cover the cost of the hotel room for your child and Cayuga's staff member.

AIRPORT TRANSPORTATION ITINERARY FORM
If you intend to use Cayuga's optional "Airport Transportation Service", you must complete/return an Airport Transportation Itinerary Form. This form is used to inform us of your child's itinerary including the airline, flight number, departure airport, destination airport, flight departure time, flight arrival time, etc. The Airport Transportation Itinerary Form is available on our website's "Camp Forms" page or click here. As soon as you solidify your child's travel arrangements, complete/return the Itinerary Form to our office. The Form is due 2 weeks prior to your child's arrival.

CAMPER PHOTOGRAPH AND PHOTO ID
Please attach a recent photograph of your child to the Airport Transportation Itinerary Form. Remember to print your child's name on the reverse side of the picture. This photograph will help our staff identify your child at the terminal gate on arrival days. Keep in mind that most (if not all) airlines now require a passport or photo ID of your child at check-in. Please confirm this with your airline.

YOUR CAMPER'S LUGGAGE
You may want to consider shipping some of your child's luggage to camp in advance instead of bringing all of the bags with you to the airport. This is acceptable. UPS (United Parcel Service), Federal Express, DHL, and the United States Post Office all service our area. If you ship your camper's luggage to camp, we'll store it in safekeeping and deliver it to your child on arrival day. It is not necessary for you to make these shipping arrangements to/from camp. There'll be plenty of space in the camp's vehicle to transport all of your camper's luggage to/from airport. Most airlines limit travelers to 2 pieces of luggage (up to 50 pounds each) and 1 carry-on bag. Please confirm these luggage restrictions with your airline.

NAME OF CAYUGA STAFF MEMBER - NEEDED FOR UMP
When you enroll your child in the UMP, most airlines will request the name of the individual who is providing "parental oversight". Due to the volume of campers traveling by plane to/from camp, airport staff assignments are not finalized until 3 days prior to the arrival/departure date. If you're requested to give the name of the individual who'll be escorting your child to/from the plane, use the name "Brian Buynak". The staff member, who is assigned to escort your child, will possess written authorization from Brian Buynak (the Camp Director) indicating the staff member's responsibility for "parental oversight". In the past, the Authorization Form prepared by the camp has been accepted by all airlines.

AIRPORT ARRIVAL PROCEDURES
Please inform your child of our Airport Arrival Procedures, which are as follows: A Cayuga staff member will greet your camper at the terminal gate (where passengers get off the plane) and escort him/her to the baggage claim area. For international flights we'll likely greet your camper after the immigration process, not at the gate where he/she exited the airplane. (Our intention in all cases is to greet your child as he/she exits the plane.) After collecting the luggage, our staff member will instruct your child to call you collect from an airport payphone - to let you know he/she has arrived safely. Remember to tell your child the telephone number you'd like him/her to call when he/she arrives at the airport. If you'd like a call to your cell phone, be sure your child has a calling card (since cell phones can't accept collect calls). Afterwards, we'll load the luggage into the camp vehicle and drive your child directly to camp. The vehicle doesn't make any other stops along the way and there are usually 2 staff members assigned to each camp vehicle. The staff members who are assigned to accompany your child to camp are usually the same staff who accompany your child to the airport at the end of his/her camp session. Campers traveling on the same flight (or arriving within the same time frame) may be assigned to travel in the same camp vehicle to camp. Upon arrival at Cayuga, your camper will report to the infirmary for a cursory physical exam by the camp nurses to insure no contagious conditions enter the camp (head lice).

Please explain to your camper that our staff member will be wearing a red Camp Cayuga staff T-shirt and will be holding a "Camp Cayuga" sign. The Cayuga staff member will have in his possession your child's Airport Transportation Itinerary Form, a photograph of your child, a photocopy of your camper's enrollment application, an authorization form signed by the Camp Director, and his personal picture ID. Both male and female Cayuga staff are assigned to these airport responsibilities.

CAMP CAYUGA T-SHIRT
Most campers who are traveling alone on domestic flights will be mailed an official red Camp Cayuga T-Shirt. Please have your camper wear this shirt on his arrival flight to camp. Cayuga T-shirts can only be mailed after we receive your Airport Transportation Itinerary Form. So please, complete/return the Itinerary Form as soon you solidify your camper's travel arrangements. If your child is traveling with other Cayuga campers or is traveling on an international flight, do not expect to receive a Cayuga T-shirt in the mail.