The John F. Kennedy International Airport, more commonly known as Kennedy, has been in business since 1948. The airport sees a whopping 40 million passengers per year. There are five operational runways and one in the final stages of construction. With close to 5,000 acres of space, the airport has plenty of space for ongoing expansion. Many projects are currently in the works to ensure Kennedy airport remains modern, safe, and comfortable.
Located in Queens, Kennedy International Airport is approximately fifteen minutes from Manhattan. Travelers can easily reach the city by taxi, bus, or subway. The nine terminals surround the Van Wyck Expressway and the Kennedy/Nassau Expressway. The airport offers flights with more than 100 different airlines and to more than fifty countries. Kennedy International Airport is considered one of the busiest airports in the world with the New York to London route being the most popular.
Smoking is not allowed outside or inside the airport except for a few lounges (British Airways Terraces is the best) that have smoking-only areas. Security at Kennedy is extremely tight so passengers should allow extra time to pass through security checkpoints. During times of government named high-level warnings, cars coming into the airport may be searched, so travelers may want to allow time for these searches as well.
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Drivers can check parking garage availability by calling 718-244-4080 before arriving at the airport. Those picking up passengers can park in the Cell Phone lot right off the Van Wyck Expressway. This lot is free of charge providing drivers remain in their car. Once the passenger arrives, the driver simply drives to the pick-up area at the correct terminal and heads on his or her way.
Long Term Parking Long term parking is available, but the lot is approximately four miles from the terminals. Passengers will need to take the free AirTrain to their terminal. The AirTrain runs ever five minutes during the day and every twelve minutes from 11pm to 6am. The train can face delays during peak travel. The trip to the terminals takes approximately half an hour. Parking in the long term lot costs $15 for twenty-four hours or $5 for each eight-hour span.
Discount Airport Parking - While the long term parking lot is the least expensive, short term parking is plentiful and not that much more expensive. In the Green, Blue, Red, and Orange lots the rates are $3 for the first half hour and then $6 for the first hour. Following this, the rate is $3 per hour with a maximum daily fee of $15. At the present time, this is the only other parking option on the airport grounds. Parking fees can be paid with a U.S. currency check, cash, credit card, or debit card with a MasterCard or Visa logo.
Handicapped Parking - Each terminal's parking lot has a limited number of handicapped parking spaces. A handicapped plate must be clearly visible or those cars will be towed. Those with disabilities receive discounted rates of $3 for the first half hour, $6 for one hour, and then $3 for every hour past that. The daily rate is $15. Passengers should ask their travel agent or booking service to arrange for assistance at the airport if it will be needed.
Airport Hotel Parking - A number of hotels offer free shuttles to and from Kennedy. The full list includes Best Western Kennedy, Comfort Inn Kennedy, Courtyard by Marriott Kennedy, Crowne Plaza Kennedy, Days Inn, Double Tree Club Hotel, Fairfield Inn by Marriott, Hampton Inn, Hilton Garden Inn, Holiday Inn Express Kennedy, Holiday Inn Kennedy, Howard Johnson Express Kennedy, Kennedy Inn, and Ramada Plaza Hotel. While parking is not free at all of these hotels, they all offer special rates that include parking for a set number of days. Additional days are usually comparable to the airport's $15 per day.
John F. Kennedy International Airport (IATA: Kennedy, ICAO: KKennedy, FAA LID: Kennedy) is an international airport located in Queens, in southeastern New York City and about 12 miles (19 km) from Lower Manhattan. Originally known as the "New York International Airport" then renamed Idlewild Airport (IATA: IDL, ICAO: KIDL, FAA LID: IDL) in the same year, was renamed in 1963 in memory of the late President John F. Kennedy. It is colloquially referred to simply as "Kennedy" or "Kennedy".
Kennedy airport is the newest and busiest of the New York metropolitan area's three primary commercial airports. It is the top international air passenger gateway to the United States[3] and is also the leading freight gateway to the country by value of shipments.[4] The airport is operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages three other major airports in the New York metropolitan area, Newark Liberty, LaGuardia and, Stewart International Airport. It is the base of operations for JetBlue Airways and is also a major international gateway hub for Delta Air Lines and American Airlines.
The five largest airlines at Kennedy in market share are JetBlue Airways (27.3%), Delta Airlines/Connection (18.6%), American Airlines (18.5%), British Airways (2.8%), and United Airlines (1.9%).
Kennedy's outbound international travel accounted for 17% of all U.S. travelers who went overseas in 2004, the largest share of any U.S. airport. In 2000, Kennedy handled an average of about 50,000 international passengers each day. The Kennedy-London Heathrow route is the leading U.S. international airport pair with over 2.9 million passengers in 2000.[3] Other top international destinations from Kennedy are Paris, Frankfurt, and Tokyo. Nearly 100 airlines from over 50 countries operate regularly scheduled flights from Kennedy. Although Kennedy is known for its historical role as an international gateway airport for the United States, it also handles a large number of domestic flights. In 2007 the airport handled 47.8 million passengers;[2] Newark Liberty International Airport handled about 36.3 million[2] and LaGuardia Airport about 25.3 million, making for a total of approximately 111 million travelers using New York's airports, making New York the busiest airport system in the United States in terms of passenger numbers and second in the world after London.
Construction of the airport began in 1942 with modest ambitions — approximately $60 million were spent for its construction, but only 1,000 acres (4 km²) of land on the site of the Idlewild golf course were earmarked for use, which provided the airport's original commonly-used though unofficial name, Idlewild Airport. The airport is operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, under a 1947 lease from the City of New York.[1]. The airport saw its first commercial flight on July 1, 1948. It was dedicated as "New York International Airport" on July 31 of that same year, although the name "Idlewild" remained in common use and the official IATA airport code was IDL. It is estimated that Kennedy international provides some $6.6 billion of economic activity and 207,000 jobs in the New York metropolitan region today.
Until the construction of the International Arrivals Building in 1957, the Temporary Terminal was the sole terminal. The growing popularity and advantages of commercial air travel made the expansion of the airport a major need owing to New York's importance as a major center of international commerce and tourism. Another 4,000 acres (16 km²) were allocated to the airport and 8 new terminals were constructed from 1958 to 1971, each designed by one of the airport's main airlines. which become the hub of major airlines such as Pan Am, TWA and the National Airlines.
The Worldport (Pan Am), now Terminal 3, opened in 1962. It featured a large, elliptical roof suspended by 32 sets of radial posts and cables. The roof extended far beyond the base of the terminal and covered the passenger loading area. It was one of the first airline terminals in the world to feature Jetways that connected to the terminal and that could be moved to provide an easy walkway for passengers from the terminal to a docked aircraft, rather than having to board the plane outside via airstairs.
The TWA Flight Center, now Terminal 5, also opened in 1962. Designed by Eero Saarinen, it was sculpted as an abstract symbol of flight. It is considered one of the most architecturally distinguished airport terminal designs in the world. With the demise of TWA, however, it is no longer in use. The main building will be kept as a part of a new Terminal 5 building built by JetBlue.
The airport was renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport in 1963, one month after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The airport received the new IATA airport code of KIA, short for Kennedy International Airport, but as the US death toll in Vietnam became a serious and emotive issue for Americans ("KIA", short for Killed In Action, was a shorthand in newsreports of US casualties in the war), it was changed in 1968 to Kennedy, and since then the airport has become widely referred to by the abbreviation "Kennedy".
In 1970, National Airlines opened their Sundrome, designed by Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. It is now used by JetBlue and is known as Terminal 6. As air traffic in New York continued to grow, both Terminal 5 and Terminal 3 were modified in the 1970s to accommodate new Boeing 747s. The supersonic Concorde, operated by Air France and British Airways, provided scheduled trans-Atlantic supersonic service to Kennedy from 1977 until 2003, when Concorde was retired by both carriers. Kennedy had the most Concorde operations annually of any airport in the world.
The cargo operations at Kennedy were targeted in the 1978 Lufthansa heist and 1967 Air France robbery, inspiring the Nicholas Pileggi novel Wiseguy and Martin Scorsese film Goodfellas.
By the mid-1980s, Kennedy had overtaken Newark International Airport (now Newark Liberty International Airport) to become New York City's busiest airport.
In 1998, the airport began construction of the AirTrain Kennedy rapid transit system. Completed in December 2003, the rail network links each airport terminal to New York City subways and regional commuter trains at Howard Beach and Jamaica, Queens.
After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Kennedy was one of the first airports in the United States to be temporarily closed.
On March 19, 2007, Kennedy became the first airport in the United States to receive the Airbus A380 with passengers aboard. The route-proving flight with more than 500 passengers was operated jointly by Lufthansa and Airbus and arrived at Terminal 1.
Kennedy is undergoing a $10.3 billion redevelopment. The airport opened a new Terminal 1 in 1998. The $1.4 billion replacement for the International Arrivals Building, Terminal 4, opened in 2001. Construction has begun on JetBlue Airways' new Terminal 5, which will incorporate the historic landmark TWA FlightCenter terminal. Delta Air Lines has undertaken a refurbishment of Terminals 2 and 3 (for its hub operation), while Terminals 8 and 9 have undergone redevelopment as one single terminal for American Airlines hub operation - Terminal 8.
Original plans called for the redevelopment of Terminal 6 for United Airlines[5]. However, United has since dramatically reduced its operation at Kennedy and has abandoned any plans for a future Kennedy hub. As of August 2007, no plans have been released as to the future of Terminal 6, currently occupied by JetBlue, once the airline's new Terminal 5 becomes operational.
Infrastructure and services
Runways
Two pairs of parallel runways, four in all, surround the airport's central terminal area: 4L-22R, 4R-22L, 13L-31R and 13R-31L. Runway 13R-31L is the second longest commercial runway in North America, at a length of 14,572 ft (4,441 m).
Runway 4R-22L is 8,400 feet (2,600 m) long and 200 feet (61 m) wide. It is equipped at both ends with Instrument Landing Systems (ILS), Approach Lighting Systems (ALS) with sequenced flashers, and touchdown zone (TDZ) lighting.
Runway 4R is a Category III A/L ILS runway, permitting landings with a visibility of 600 feet (180 m) or more by qualified aircrews. The first Engineered Materials Arresting System (EMAS) in North America was installed at the northeast end of the runway in 1996. The bed consists of cellular cement material, which can safely decelerate and stop an aircraft that overruns the runway. The arrestor bed concept was originated and developed by the Port Authority and installed at Kennedy Airport as a joint research and development project with the FAA and industry. Runway 22L ILS is also a Category III runway. Runway 4L-22R is 11,351 feet (3,460 m) long by 150 feet (46 m) wide and is also equipped with ILS at both ends allowing landings down to three-quarters of a mile visibility. Takeoffs can be conducted with one-eighth of a mile visibility.
Runway 13L-31R is 10,000 feet (3,000 m) long by 150 feet (46 m) wide and is equipped at both ends with ILS and ALS systems. Runway 13L has two additional visual aids for landing aircraft, a Visual Approach Slope Indicator System (VASI) and a Lead-In Lighting System (LDIN). The ILS on 13L has Category II capability, and along with TDZ lighting, allows landings down to half a mile visibility. Takeoffs can be made with visibility of one-eighth of a mile. Kennedy has over 25 miles (40 km) of taxiways to move aircraft in and around the airfield. The standard width of these taxiways is 75 feet (23 m), with 25-foot (7.6 m) heavy-duty shoulders and 25-foot (7.6 m) erosion control pavements on each side. The taxiways have centerline lights and are generally of asphalt concrete composition 15 to 18 inches (460 mm) thick. An illuminated sign system provides directional information for taxiing aircraft.
The Air Traffic Control Tower, constructed on the ramp-side of Terminal 4, began full FAA operations in October 1994 and is 321 feet (98 m) tall. An Airport Surface Detection Equipment (ASDE) radar unit sits atop the tower. A gas-fired electric cogeneration plant generates electricity for the airport, with an output of about 90 megawatts. It uses thermal energy from the capture of waste heat to heat and cool all of the passenger terminals and other facilities in the central terminal area.
Aircraft service facilities include seven aircraft hangars, an engine overhaul building, a 32-million gallon aircraft fuel storage facility, and a truck garage.
Passenger terminals
Kennedy has eight passenger terminals in operation arranged in a U-shaped pattern around a central area containing parking, hotels, a power plant, and other airport facilities. The terminals are connected by the AirTrain system and access roads. A 2006 survey by J.D. Power and Associates in conjunction with Aviation Week found Kennedy ranked second in overall traveller satisfaction among large airports in the United States, behind McCarran International Airport which serves the Las Vegas metropolitan area.[6]
Terminal 1 has 11 gates. The original Terminal 1, built as a hub for Eastern Airlines, was demolished, a new Terminal 1 was opened in 1998, 50 years after the opening of Kennedy.
Terminal 2 was opened in 1962 as the home of Northeast Airlines, Braniff and Northwest Airlines. After the demise of Northeast Airlines and Braniff the building was taken over by Delta Air Lines. The building has 11 gates. Delta hopes to merge its two terminals at Kennedy (2 & 3) into a single modern terminal in the future.[citation needed]
Terminal 3, built as the Worldport in 1960 for Pan American, and substantially expanded for the introduction of the 747 in 1970, has 17 gates. Delta Air Lines currently uses the entire terminal, and has a connector to Terminal 2, its other terminal at Kennedy.
Terminal 4, the international terminal, is able to handle the Airbus A380 and is managed by the Schiphol Group. It was the first airport terminal in the United States to be managed by a foreign airport operator. Terminal 4 is the major gateway for International Arrivals at Kennedy. It is the newest structure at Kennedy that does not incorporate an existing facility. Opened in 2001, the new building was built at a cost of $1.4 billion. The terminal has 17 gates on two concourses. Concourse A has six gates, numbered A2-A7. Concourse B has eleven gates, numbered B20-B31, excluding B21. As Terminal 4 was built during the construction of the AirTrain, the AirTrain station was built inside the terminal building. Other AirTrain stations are built across from terminal buildings.
Terminal 5, also known as the TWA Flight Center, is closed while undergoing reconstruction to become the new terminal for JetBlue Airways[7].
Terminal 6, built in 1970 as the National Airlines Sundrome, has 14 gates. On June 1, 2006, JetBlue opened a temporary terminal complex that added seven gates onto the terminal and increased the capacity for more flights. Customers access the temporary terminal through shuttle buses after they clear the security checkpoint.
Terminal 7 was built for BOAC and Air Canada in the early 1970s. In 1997, the Port Authority entered an agreement with British Airways to expand the terminal. The renovated terminal has 12 gates.[8]
The former Terminal 8 has just recently been closed and is starting the demolishing process, with its iconic glass panels are being removed, as the new American Airlines Terminal 8 (known as Terminal 9 until November 2007) is now fully operational. Also, Malév Hungarian Airlines, Jet Airways, and Finnair use this terminal.
Air freight
Kennedy is the nation’s busiest international air freight gateway by value of shipments and the second busiest overall by value including all air, land and sea U.S. freight gateways. Over 21% of all U.S. international air freight by value and 11% by tonnage moved through Kennedy in 2003.[4]
Kennedy is a major hub for air cargo between the United States and Europe. London, Brussels and Frankfurt are Kennedy's three top trade routes.[4] The European airports are mostly a link in a global supply chain, however. The top destination markets for cargo flying out of Kennedy in 2003 were Tokyo, Seoul and London. Similarly, the top origin markets for imports at Kennedy were Seoul, Hong Kong, and Taipei, with London taking the fourth spot.[4]
Some of the cargo imported and exported through Kennedy includes electrical machinery, woven and knit apparel, medical instruments, footwear, plastics and paper.
Nearly 100 cargo air carriers operate out of Kennedy,[4] among them: ABX Air, Air China Cargo, Air France, Alitalia, Asiana, Astar Air Cargo, Atlas Air, CAL Cargo Air Lines, Cargoitalia, Cagolux, China Airlines, Continental Airlines, DHL, Emirates SkyCargo, EVA Air, Evergreen International Airlines, Execaire, FedEx Express, Japan Airlines, Kalitta Air, Korean Air, Royal Jordanian, Lufthansa Cargo, Nippon Cargo Airlines, Prince Edward Air, United Cargo, UPS, World Airways, Southern Air. Top 5 carriers together transported 33.1% of all “revenue” freight in 2005: American Airlines (10.9% of the total), FedEx Express (8.8%), Lufthansa Cargo (5.2%), Korean Air Cargo (4.9%), China Airlines (3.8%).[9]
Most cargo and maintenance facilities at Kennedy are located north and west of the main terminal area. The following airlines have dedicated cargo terminals at Kennedy: Continental Airlines, DHL, Emirates SkyCargo, EVA Air, Evergreen International Airlines, FedEx Express, Japan Airlines, Korean Air, Nippon Cargo Airlines, United Cargo, and UPS.
In 2000, Korean Air Cargo opened a new $102 million cargo terminal at Kennedy. It was the largest air freight facility on the East Coast with total warehouse floor area of more than 55,000 sq ft (16, 764 m²) and capability of handling 200,000 tons annually.
Rail
Kennedy is connected to New York's subway and commuter rail system by AirTrain Kennedy. AirTrain stops at all terminals, car rental lots, and two subway stations. It is free within the airport and $5 to reach the subway stations outside the airport perimeter. Travel time between Kennedy and Midtown Manhattan is approximately 30-40 minutes (depending on the originating/terminating terminal at Kennedy) using AirTrain and the Long Island Rail Road at Jamaica Station ($8 to $12); or approximately 75 minutes using AirTrain and the New York City Subway A train at Howard Beach-Kennedy Station ($2) or E, J and Z trains at Sutphin Boulevard Station ($2).
Bus
Several city bus lines link Kennedy to the New York City Subway and Long Island Rail Road, including the Q3, Q6, Q7, Q10 (Local/Limited), and B15, with free transfers provided for subway connections. The buses are handicapped accessible. There are also many private bus lines operating express buses to Manhattan, the Hudson Valley, and Long Island.
In addition, China Airlines provides private bus service to the following destinations for its customers[10]:
Top Quality Food Market 828 Rt. 46 in Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey. Kam Man Food Inc. at 511 Old Post Road in Edison, New Jersey. Holy Redeemer Church in the Chinatown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Taxi
New York City's yellow cabs, operated by the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission, offer a flat rate service of $45 from Kennedy airport to Manhattan, excluding tips and tolls. Since November 30, 2006, this flat rate fare (excluding tips and tolls) applies to travel from Manhattan to Kennedy as well. Depending on the time of day, taxi travel from Kennedy to Midtown Manhattan can be as quick as 35 minutes. New York Taxis accommodate 4 passengers except vans which accommodate 5.
Terminals, airlines, and destinations
Terminal 5, the former Trans World Airlines terminal designed by Eero Saarinen, is currently closed and is being reconstructed for a brand new JetBlue facility scheduled to open in September 2008[11]. It will have 26 arrival and departure gates plus various shopping and dining amenities. Terminal 6 has 14 gates plus an additional 7 in the temporary terminal, for a total of 21 gates: 1-5, 7, 9-12, 14-17, 19-25 (temporary terminal).
US Helicopter operates regularly scheduled flights every hour between Terminal 3 and the Downtown Manhattan Heliport. Passengers travelling by helicopter pass through a security checkpoint at the heliport, not at Kennedy. The flights last 8 minutes and cost $159 each way. On May 14, 2007, US Helicopter moved its operations from Terminal 9 to Terminal 3.
As one of the major international gateways in the United States, Kennedy possesses a high profile in popular culture. The British Invasion began with the arrival of The Beatles at Kennedy in 1964, who held their first American press conference at the airport. Rapper Notorious B.I.G. references the airport's code name in the song "Going Back to Cali." The theme song of the 1960s comedy TV series Car 54, Where Are You? contained a line reading: "There's a scout troop short a child, [Nikita] Khrushchev's due at Idlewild," referencing the airport's previous name, Idlewild. In his one-man show Red diaper baby, Josh Kornbluth's eccentric communist father insists on referring to Kennedy as the "Bay of Pigs Memorial Airport".
Kennedy is also mentioned in the U2 song, Angel of Harlem, as well as the song "The City" by Joe Purdy. In the Simpsons episode "$pringfield (Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)" Mr. Burns builds the 'Spruce Moose' a parody of Howard Hughes's 'Spruce Goose' airplane, which he claims will fly from New York's Idlewild Airport to the Belgian Congo in seventeen minutes. In the 2008 video game Grand Theft Auto IV, an airport closely resembling Kennedy appears in fictional Liberty City as "Francis International Airport". A futuristic version of Kennedy was featured in The Fifth Element.
