INSIDE AIR TRAVEL
What's New at New York's JFK?Like many major airports around the world New York International Airport is currently a building site. Better known as JFK it was renamed in December 1963, just two months after the assignation of the President - the three letter code was available. Hopefully by 2003 most of the major construction work will have been completed. This will come as a relief to passengers, airport staff and the airlines. However the improvements are significant, the major one a light transit scheme, or Airtrain, which will connect all eight terminals to the New York subway system.
The history of JFK runs very much parallel to Heathrow. Officially opened in 1948 it has experienced dramatic expansion with an ever changing list of airport tenants and equally changing technical requirements. Whilst still the busiest international airport in the USA last year it lost first place to Newark as New York's number one airport in terms of passenger numbers. JFK's three runways could easily cope with the 340,000 aircraft movements and 31m passenger throughput in 2000.
The airport (like Newark and La Guardia) is operated by the Port of New York and New Jersey Port Authority. However the land comprising each terminal is leased to a operating company. Typically the recently completed impressive terminal 1 is run by a consortium of Air France, Japan Air Lines, Korean Airways and Lufthansa. Tenants include Virgin Atlantic, with a Clubhouse offering fine views over the apron and Jamaica Bay. Sister company Singapore Airlines recently arrived.
The ever changing airline scene can cause problems. Plans to turn T5, the futuristic but now obsolete TWA terminal, into a huge arrivals area are on hold following that airline's bankruptcy and probable takeover by American. Jet Blue, nearly one year old, and a success story, was able to acquire a building vacated by TWA, the domestic T6, which it now shares with United. However United leases also space off British Airways in T7 for its international flights. Besides BA this terminal, which also is undergoing a major rebuilt, is the home of Cathy Pacific, Lan Chile and Qantas. Oneworld partner Aer Lingus could soon be a new arrival. Within the impressive T7 complex is the Concorde and First Class lounge, and also BA's new Pavilion offering for Club World. Such is the success of the preflight dining facility approaching 80% of premium passengers make use of the facility. With Club World the figure is around one third and climbing. BA has every evening seven London departures, at least one an hour.
American Airlines is the largest operator at JFK, its new complex replacing T8 and T9 the largest terminal construction project at the airport costing in total $1.3bn and not due for completion until 2006. The complex will have 220 check-in counters and 56 gates. However, assuming that American gets TWA, there will be some kind of rationalization with common routes and integration of profitable services not represented by AA. Clearly there will a rethink although the sheer size of the terminal should not cause any long term problems.
Terminal 4 is operated by a company under the aegis of Schiphol Amsterdam International Airport under a long term lease signed in 1997. It too is undergoing major, $1.2bn, rebuilding, due for completion in the spring of this year. T4 currently host 34 airlines and has both domestic and international facilities.
Until 2003 Airtrain and the ancillary roadways and parking areas are complete JFK will remain an eyesore. The fact that it works, and works well, is a tribute to the engineering and management teams responsible for the airport. In terms of runway utilization there is plenty of capacity available and even at peak times slots can be found. In terms of passenger traffic the numbers are half that of Heathrow, with more potential. JFK will welcome more airlines. The demise of Tower Air leaves a complete terminal empty looking for a customer.
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