Story ID: 
Million Air TEB alters its charter image
By: Mark Phelps
Caption: Million Air Teterboro, N.J., has seen its way through a number of iterations since World War II Army Air Corps test pilot Ken Forester Sr.
Word Count: 374
Million Air Teterboro, N.J., has seen its way through a number of iterations since World War II Army Air Corps test pilot Ken Forester Sr. started selling Navions in 1946 (one of his customers was radio personality Arthur Godfrey). The latest change comes to the company’s expanding charter department. Ken Forester Jr. told AIN that international charter operations nearly doubled last year following the inclusion of a GIV on its Part 135 certificate. “We had a GII and a pair of Hawkers that would go international, but the GIV really opened up this aspect of our operation,” he said.Accordingly, Million Air Charter at Teterboro is now known as Meridian Air Charter, and the company devised a new logo to go with the name change. “Both dictionary definitions of the word ‘meridian’ fit the image of a company with global reach,” said Forester, “and we complemented the name change with a logo showing an airplane circling the globe.”Domestic charter still plays a large role with Meridian, with three Citations and a Learjet 35A on the fleet roster. And Forester was quick to confirm that the name change in no way implies dissatisfaction with the Million Air franchise network. On the contrary, Forester said he is very pleased with Roger Woolsey’s administration of the Million Air Interlink network. Forester said one reason for establishing a separate identity for the charter arm of his business was that there had been some confusion in the past. “With several separate charter operators using the name ‘Million Air,’ it was inevitable,” said Forester. In some cases, he said, some payment checks for charter trips were sent to the wrong company.Million Air also is moving forward with the approval process for an $11 million upgrade to its FBO and maintenance facility at TEB. Some provisional approvals were received late last month, and Forester hopes to break ground this spring on a 20,000-sq-ft terminal building, an 8,000-sq-ft office and shop complex and a 40,000-sq-ft hangar. With the expected relocation of Taxiway P at Teterboro, Million Air will expand its leasehold by about three precious acres on the crowded airport. “Our customers have been very patient with us,” said Forester. “This upgrade is something we owe to these loyal people.”