With work on its new $1.3 billon terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport nearly complete, American Airlines is promising its corporate customers a faster, more efficient New York travel experience.
The new terminal, which opened in August 2005 with the completion of the first phase of construction
(BTN, Aug. 15, 2005), is expected to be "98 percent" finished by the end of August, said Chuck Imhof, AA vice president for passenger sales for Greater New York. American's international service at JFK and many of its transcontinental flights moved to the new terminal in May, following the opening of Concourse B and a brand-new 82,000-square-foot customs and immigration facility.
"What the new terminal means, from an operational standpoint, is that we are able to offer the business traveler a faster, smoother, more convenient travel experience," Imhof said. "The overall process of getting from your car to the gate is expedited."
In addition to the improved services offered in the new terminal and American's ongoing effort to install the "next generation" of business class seats in many of its planes
(BTN, Sept. 5, 2005), the airline has fired its latest salvos in the ongoing transatlantic battles by offering triple AAdvantage miles to premium class passengers who fly between JFK and Heathrow Airport in London through Aug. 31, and with its July 5 announcement that in October it will offer new daily roundtrip service between JFK and London's Stansted Airport
(BTN, July 9).The May opening of Concourse B increased the number of gates in the new terminal from 18 to 28, with 15 capable of handling international flights. The gate total will rise to 36—with 19 able to service international travelers—once work is complete.
Imhof said the new terminal's customs and immigration facility features 32 immigration positions and 10 customs positions capable of processing as many as 1,600 passengers per hour—a significant increase over the previous hourly rate of 1,200. "That's a huge advantage over what it was before," he said. "It certainly gives us a major advantage over the other facilities at JFK."
The new terminal will include more than 3,000 feet of curb frontage for passenger drop-offs and pickups, curbside checkin, 44 self-service checkin devices, 10 expedited security lanes for premium customers capable of processing 1,800 travelers per hour, a total of 2,500 linear feet of moving walkways and a security system able to process twice as many bags—3,200 per hour—as before.
In addition, the carrier opened an 11,200-sq.-ft. Admirals Club and 7,000-sq.-ft. Flagship Lounge in Concourse B. Like the existing 11,300-sq.-ft. Admirals Club in Concourse C, they feature wireless Internet, plasma screen TVs, food and beverage sales and other amenities.
"The advantages for the corporate traveler begin as they drive up to the curb," Imhof said. "As a premium customer, you have a separate checkin facility right there. You're expedited through one of the premium security lanes and then you have, within steps, the Admirals Club and the new Flagship Lounge. The gates are literally a two-minute walk from the clubs."
"Having two Admirals Clubs is a huge advantage, but we don't have a Flagship Lounge at every destination, so this is something unique for the New York customer," he said.
Imhof noted that Concourse B also features 53,000 square feet of concession space occupied by duty-free shopping, retailers, and a variety of food and beverage services, including a full-service restaurant, a wine tasting bar and a sports bar.
Imhof said American is expediting the reconfiguration of the business class cabins in its fleet of Boeing 767-300s—the aircraft used on most international flights. "The New York customer now has a 90-percent-plus guarantee that they're going to have a next-generation business class seat and the latest entertainment devices."