June 05, 2007

New at JFK: cell phone lot, virtual fence, more delays

As U.S. flights are arriving later than ever before, the three major airports serving new York City rank as the worst of the worst, according to USA Today. Of those, Newark is the biggest loser, where only 55 percent of flights arrived on time so far this year.

However, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airports, is spending $34 million to double its customer service force to help direct travelers at the airports, Crain's reports. It's also adding more seating areas at the airports, and adding 70 food and retail outlets at JFK, Newark and LaGuardia. Also, JFK's AirTrain will have four cars instead of two. The Port Authority predicts a 4.6 percent increase of airline passengers this summer.

At JFK, there is now a free "cell-phone lot" where people can wait in their cars for free until they're called to pick up their traveler at the terminal.

Later this year, valet parking will come to JFK - and it's already available at Newark, according to the Daily News. Passengers will be able to drop off cars for long-term parking at Lefferts Boulevard near AirTrain for $36 for 24 hours, and $18 for each additional 12 hours.

FlyGlobespan, a low-fare Scottish airline, has started flying between JFK and Liverpool (from $129) and Ireland West Knock, (from $195.)

Richard Branson said Monday his Virgin Group in 2008 will launch business class-only flights, starting with New York. He's planning on ordering as many as 15 new planes, a plan that could press the other business- and first-class only airlines that started recently: MaxJet, EOS, Silverjet and L'Avion.

JFK is also among the four New York-area airports getting "state-of-the-art heat, movement and video sensors to detect and deter terrorists," according to Newsday. The $138-million Raytheon-designed virtual fence should be operational by early next year. (LaGuardia, Newark and Teterboro will get the same system.) The project was already in the works before officials announced Saturday they arrested a group of men plotting to blow up JFK.

Despite the Valentine's Day scheduling disaster that left thousands of passengers stranded for days, New York-based JetBlue Airlines today was again named No. 1 in customer satisfaction by the by Consumer Reports National Research Center.

And finally, this isn't unique to NYC, but good to know: The number of people involuntarily bumped from overbooked flights increased 23 percent last year and is already increasing this year. Compounding the hassle, once bumped, there aren't many unbooked seats, meaning your delay could last days. The New York Times has the story.

Earlier: Expect very long waits at airport customs this summer
Virgin America gets formal OK for JFK-SF route
Rejoice: Balducci’s opens at Delta's JFK Terminal 2
American moves into $1.3 bln Terminal B at JFK
New airlines, new routes for NYC airports
L'Avion starts 'low-cost, high-frills' to Paris on Dec. 27
Low-fare business-class SilverJet starts in January
Business-class MaxJet planes are more than half full

June 5, 2007 08:42 AM in Arrivology

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