Million Air Sues Westchester Over Stalled Hangar Project at HPN

HARRISON, NY – Houston-based Million Air has filed a multi-million dollar lawsuit against Westchester County for “bad faith” delays of a new hangar planned at the Westchester County Airport.

On Thursday, the fixed-based operator with a hanger and terminal facilities at Westchester County Airport (HPN) filed the lawsuit in federal court seeking more than $30 million in damages. The filing also asks the court to approve the plans for the hangar.

Million Air officials singled out Westchester County Executive George Latimer for stalling expansion plans which had been agreed in a lease signed prior to his taking office.

"The County’s actions have breached the terms of Million Air’s lease as well as the obligation of good faith and fair dealing required between parties to a contract," Million Air’s lawyer Russell Yankwitt said in a statement announcing the lawsuit. "For these reasons, Million Air has no choice but to seek the Court’s intervention to enforce its rights to build the second hangar and to be compensated for the damage caused by the County’s contractual breaches and bad faith conduct."

Westchester County officials, however, have publicly accused the company of failing to get necessary environmental approval before beginning construction.

Million Air counters that the feet dragging by the county has not only cost the company millions of dollars, but is also causing rather than preventing environmental harm.

“It’s unfortunate that the benefits of the second hangar are not being realized,” Yankwitt added. “Not only would it create additional jobs, improve the airport, and increase County and municipal revenues, but it also would reduce the number of ‘unnecessary’ flights by eliminating ferry flights – flying empty planes to their home bases. Eliminating these ‘double’ flights reduces both noise and carbon emissions, which only helps Westchester.”