Opened in 1948, John F. Kennedy International Airport is one of four that service the New York metropolitan area under the purview of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Located in the borough of Queens, the airport is a hub to several passenger and cargo airlines.
Airport Redevelopment Program
With 45 million annual air passengers, the John F. Kennedy International Airport Redevelopment Program’s goal is to balance the capacity of the landside access system with the capacity of the existing airside system in order to improve passenger service levels.
AECOM, acting as an extension of Port Authority of New York and New Jersey staff, works closely with the planners, designers, engineers, contractors, developers, and various facility operations and maintenance personnel to assure that projects are thoroughly coordinated and that construction proceeds with minimal disruption to travelers and airport operations.
Major program elements include a new air traffic control tower, reconfiguration of airport roadways and terminal frontages, upgrade and modernization of the airport utility infrastructure, terminal improvements, coordination of interfaces among airport utilities, terminal complexes, light rail system, new parking facilities, cogeneration plant and private investment projects.
Under a separate program, AECOM also provided utility coordination and design reviews for the new automated AirTrain light rail system that links the individual passenger terminals, providing a fast and convenient means of traveling between terminals and other stations on the system. AECOM ensured that airport operations were not adversely affected by any required utility construction or service shutdowns for tie-ins.
American Airlines Terminal
For a new $1.3-billion terminal at JFK International Airport in New York, AECOM worked with American Airlines Corporate Real Estate to provide the final design and program management. The new American Airlines terminal of 1.5-million square feet (139,350 square meters) has American Eagle and other carriers on a 42-acre (17 hectares) site located behind the other existing terminals. There are 27 gates for all types of large jets and 9 gates with covered jet bridges for regional jets operated by American Eagle. The terminal was constructed in three phases to allow for continued operations at the airport.
Completed in October 2008, the new terminal is American’s gateway to the United States and the airline’s largest non-aircraft asset. The main terminal complex has three primary levels:
- One for arrivals and baggage handling
- One for departures
- One for clubs, lounges and offices
There is a new two-level roadway that provides separation between arrivals and departures; each level with at least 1,200 linear feet (366 meters) of curb space. There are 12 curbside check-in positions and 84 check-in positions at the main ticket counter—all with takeaway belts for baggage. The 84 interior positions are arranged in two check-in islands and one row of counters along the side of the ticketing lobby, and self-ticketing machines along the other side.