American cuts the ribbon on expanded JFK terminal complex

After a few years of work and a $1.3 billion investment, officials of American Airlines finally – and literally – cut the ribbon last week on the carrier’s new, expanded terminal at New York’s JFK Airport. Different portions of the improved facility have been phased in over the past several months. Travelers arriving at JFK will see a new four-level parking garage with 1,960 spaces, nearly four times the size it was before. For speedier passenger processing, the new terminal boasts 84 ticketing positions plus 44 self-service check-in kiosks; the latter can handle international as well as domestic departures. Expanded security checkpoints can process 1,800 passengers an hour, and a new U.S. Customs and Immigration area can handle1,600 an hour – a 33 percent increase over the old facility. A new baggage transport system screens bags as they move and can process 3,200 of them per hour. There’s a range of new shops and dining options, as well as two new Admirals Club lounges and a new Flagship Lounge in Concourse B for international first class flyers. “Premium class travelers also benefit from new premium class check-in service, new premium class security lanes and new international curbside check-in service, ensuring that curb-through-security processing takes less than 30 minutes,” a spokesman said.