British Airways and American Airlines both jointly revealed their plans for Terminal 8 at New York’s JFK Airport. The two airlines plan to modernize the terminal, which sits on the American side of the world’s most profitable route pre-COVID.
While British Airways has been located at New York JFK’s Terminal 7, a change is underway. Before COVID-19 became a pandemic, the airline had announced plans to relocate to Terminal 8 to operate alongside partner American Airlines. We now have a little more clarity on what we should expect following today’s joint announcement by the two airlines.
So, what’s planned?
The two airlines have revealed that the new customer experience at JFK’s T8 will be “world-class”. British Airways will begin moving into its new home from December 1st this year. Being co-located will allow the carriers to offer a more seamless experience, especially when it comes to connecting flights.
London to New York is a premium heavy route, and with this in mind, the airlines are placing a significant emphasis on the premium passenger experience. However, not everything will be copied across. Notably, there is no mention of the Concorde Room, though American Airlines will provide premium lounges, offering seating for around 1,000 passengers at once.
Terminal redevelopment
While the pandemic has been ongoing, employees have been hard at work getting the refurbished terminal up to scratch. Since breaking ground around two years ago, works have been underway to upgrade the terminal.
This includes building five new widebody parking positions alongside an enhanced baggage handling system. Around 130,000 square feet (12077 square meters) of terminal space has either been added to the facility or renovated as part of the T8 makeover.
Commenting on the news, Tom Stevens, British Airways’ Director of Brand and Customer Experience, said,
“New York holds a special place in our heart as one of our most well-loved and important destinations. Our move to the redeveloped and expanded Terminal 8 will bring a range of benefits for our customers, including a better transfer experience, enabling them to travel to more than 30 destinations across the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America with American Airlines. British Airways will remain in Terminal 7 until Dec. 1, 2022.”
Co-habiting at the other end
New York City isn’t the only place where British Airways co-locates with its partner. At the height of the pandemic, American Airlines moved in with British Airways and Iberia at London Heathrow’s Terminal 5. Other oneworld airlines followed soon after. At the time, the level of flying by many airlines was hugely suppressed, and half of Heathrow’s terminals were closed (including AA’s old home at Terminal 3). Since the former reopened, the airline has been using both Terminal 3 and Terminal 5.
What do you make of AA & BA’s plans at JFK Airport? Let us know what you think and why in the comments!
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