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The New Terminal One At Jfk And Tcr Announce World’S First Centralized Fleet Of All-Electric Ground Support Equipment
METROPOLITAN AIRPORT NEWS
The New Terminal One At Jfk And Tcr Announce World’S First Centralized Fleet Of All-Electric Ground Support EquipmentThe New Terminal One at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) has selected TCR, a global leader in ground support equipment (GSE) solutions, to provide an all-electric GSE fleet at the new world-class international gateway for JFK Airport, scheduled to open in 2026. In a global first for the aviation industry and reaffirming the New Terminal One’s commitment to environmental sustainability, the fully electric GSE fleet will be shared by ground handlers – companies that support airline operations with ramp services, including baggage loading and aircraft towing. This marks the first time that any airport terminal in the world has procured a centralized all-electric GSE fleet. This shared model reduces environmental impact, improves costs, and optimizes equipment usage, in contrast to the conventional model, in which ground handlers individually own or lease their own equipment. The New Terminal One is a key component of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s $19 billion transformation of JFK Airport into a world-class gateway, which will include two new terminals, the modernization and expansion of two existing terminals, a new ground transportation center, and an entirely new, simplified roadway network. Operating a fully electric GSE fleet through an innovative pooling model is a key part of the New Terminal One’s sustainability strategy, which supports the Port Authority’s goal to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions across the agency’s airports and facilities by 2050. “Our team at the New Terminal One is creating an unparalleled travel experience while staying true to our commitment to environmental sustainability,” said The New Terminal One Chief Executive Officer Jennifer Aument. “We are delighted to partner with TCR on this innovative collaboration for all-electric ground support equipment, which will contribute to seamless operations for our partner airlines and a best-in-class experience for their customers.” “We are thrilled to contribute to this groundbreaking initiative,” said Kristof Philips, CEO of TCR Airport Solutions. “This project highlights our dedication to sustainability and innovation, setting a worldwide model for the aviation industry.” “Extending our presence in North America marks a significant milestone for our organization. We are excited to collaborate with local communities and partners, fostering a diverse workplace and creating about 50 local jobs, including roles for electric GSE maintenance technicians contributing to the success of New Terminal One,” said Stephanie Rajzbaum, TCR Managing Director North America. TCR’s all-electric GSE fleet integrates advanced fleet management technology, which provides real-time data to enhance operational efficiency and decision-making. Set to transform how GSE is operated; this modern technology will enhance safety and contribute to more seamless operations at the New Terminal One. The New Terminal One’s pooling model for the electric GSE will: This pooling approach will also make it easier for prospective ground handlers to participate in a competitive bid to operate at the New Terminal One, as they will only provide the manpower to operate the GSE, without having to purchase their own equipment. The New Terminal One expects to issue a request for proposals for ground handlers shortly. TCR is committed to the Port Authority’s targets for participation by Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE/LBE) by working with third-party providers to provide, manage and maintain the equipment.
airport
Jan 15, 2025
Flux Power Appoints Kelly Frey As Chief Revenue Officer
METROPOLITAN AIRPORT NEWS
Flux Power Appoints Kelly Frey As Chief Revenue OfficerFlux Power Holdings, Inc., a developer of advanced lithium-ion energy storage solutions for electrification of commercial and industrial equipment, today announced the appointment of Kelly Frey, a seasoned global sales and marketing executive, as Chief Revenue Officer of the Company, replacing Tod Kilgore who has announced his retirement effective January 31, 2025. Mr. Kilgore will remain with Flux Power in a consulting role as mutually agreeable to help facilitate the transition. Kelly Frey brings over 20 years of experience as a sales and marketing leader, including roles ranging from startups to Fortune 100 companies. His executive leadership focus has primarily been in marketing and sales in battery and energy storage, SaaS industrial, and IoT industries. Kelly’s diverse experience in global environments includes working for public companies, venture capital, and private equity-backed companies. Kelly possesses deep expertise in building and coaching high-performance global sales teams, driving revenue and profitable growth, and instilling a culture of accountability, including disciplined pipeline management and forecasting.  Before joining Flux Power, Kelly held leadership positions in renewable energy at Fluence Energy, transportation and logistics at Descartes Systems Group, telematics at Verizon/Telogis, and enterprise sales across computer technology at OnX. His pipeline management has been focused on prospecting and initiating opportunities, advancing through the stages of engagement, and addressing challenges to advance opportunities. His channel experience includes direct-to-customer, OEMs, resellers, and distributors. He is customer-centric focused, seeking to deeply understand customer needs and building relationships, not just transactions.  “On behalf of our board and management team, I would like to welcome Kelly as our Chief Revenue Officer, and we are privileged to have someone of his caliber and experience as our CRO,” said Ron Dutt, Flux Power Chief Executive Officer. “Kelly will be responsible for overseeing and driving our revenue generation strategies, aligning sales, marketing, and pipeline management to ensure cohesive and effective growth. He will focus on sales, price optimization, expanding our market reach, and improving customer retention, playing a key leadership role in maximizing revenue potential and sustaining long-term growth.” “I would like to thank Tod for successfully acquiring and maintaining long-term customers to advance our business from startup to Fortune 500 customers. Tod has committed to a successful transition of sales leadership, particularly with our core customer base,” concluded Dutt. Mr. Frey added, “I am excited to be appointed as CRO for our next phase of business growth with a pipeline of orders and new customer opportunities combined with cash profitability improvement initiatives. I look forward to working with Ron, the senior leadership team, and our sales and marketing team as we continue executing our strategic and financial priorities and our commitment to all shareholders.”
airport
Jan 13, 2025
Condor Selects State-Of-The-Art Jfk Terminal 6 For Operations In 2026
METROPOLITAN AIRPORT NEWS
Condor Selects State-Of-The-Art Jfk Terminal 6 For Operations In 2026JFK Millennium Partners (JMP), the company selected by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey to build and operate John F. Kennedy International Airport’s new world-class Terminal 6 (T6), and Condor, an airline known for its curated leisure travel experience and recently named, ‘Best Transatlantic Leisure Airline’ by Business Traveler magazine, today announced that Condor has selected the new T6 for its future operations at JFK. Condor joins a growing list of award-winning international carriers who have chosen to make the new T6 their future home at JFK, including Air Canada, Aer Lingus, ANA, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Cathay Pacific, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Norse Atlantic Airways and SWISS. Terminal 6 is a key component of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s $19 billion transformation of John F. Kennedy International Airport into a world-class gateway, with two new terminals, two expanded and modernized terminals, a new ground transportation center, and an entirely new, simplified roadway network. Condor, which has been serving the JFK market since 2014, currently operates year-round service from JFK Terminal 7 to Frankfurt, Germany using its state-of-the-art, Airbus A330neo aircraft in a three-cabin configuration. Known as the quietest cabin in the sky – these fuel-efficient aircraft feature Condor’s impressive business class cabin and premium economy alongside exclusive comforts and experiences for all passengers onboard.  At the airport, travelers can look forward to T6’s digital-first, boutique guest experience, with a less than 5-minute average walk from the TSA security checkpoint exit to all gates,100,000 square feet of NYC-inspired shopping, dining, lounges and amenities, curated public art, sustainable operating features, and a premium guest experience throughout the new terminal. “Condor has been an excellent partner at T7, and we are thrilled that they’ve put their trust in our JMP team once again by joining us in the new T6,” said Steve Thody, CEO, JFK Millennium Partners. “We look forward to offering Condor passengers our own curated guest experience when our first gates open in early 2026,” Thody added. “As New York/JFK is one of our most important North American gateways, we are extremely thrilled to be moving into the new, state-of-the art T6,” said Mikko Turtiainen, director of sales, The Americas, Condor. “The boutique, curated guest experience of the new terminal is right in line with Condor’s brand DNA. Our eye-catching striped branding is representative of the diversity of destinations and guests we serve as well as our crew, and we are all about personalizing the guest experience. Condor passengers will also enjoy seamless connections to our partner JetBlue’s Terminal 5 operations, located just a short walk from T6 gates.”
airport
Jan 13, 2025
January 2025 Publisher’S Message
METROPOLITAN AIRPORT NEWS
January 2025 Publisher’S MessageWelcome to the January issue of the Metropolitan Airport News. I hope you had a peaceful holiday season with your loved ones. As we prepare for a busy winter season around the airports between increased travel and weather events here in the Northeast, I’m still shaking off the calm from a wonderful holiday season spent with my family and friends. I traveled through JFK this past holiday season, and the thing that strikes me most about arriving at an airport, even though I work here, is that I immediately want to eat and shop when I’m traveling! I’m sure there is some psychology that goes into it from a terminal and concession design perspective, but whatever it is, it’s working on me. This month’s issue shines a spotlight on the concessions that are available throughout the PANYNJ airports. There are many options, from locally owned food purveyors to high-end designers and everything in between. You have plenty of time to browse and shop if you get to the airport early, as I always do. Many retailers will offer discounts for SIDA-badged employees who use their shops. There’s no harm in asking, as we conduct significant business with them while working at the terminals. Whether you are working or traveling, I hope you take advantage of the diverse options for dining and shopping at the terminals. They are well prepared to offer unique, healthy options that represent our local landscape. I can’t wait to see more of these concessions opening up in the new terminals. Through my volunteer roles at the airport over the years, I can attest that the concessions are some of the most generous businesses with their time, talent and resources. They are quick to donate to the USO, huge amounts of supplies for the kids parties and raffle prizes to raise money for worthy causes. Not to mention, the volunteers often get treated to breakfast and lunch from our amazing concessionaires. A lot of good things beyond the passenger experience happen because of their vision for philanthropy and support of the community in which they serve.   If you would like to connect with us to offer ideas, share happenings, or just to introduce yourself, please send an email to info@metroairportnews.com.  We look forward to hearing from you. I’ll see you around the airports!
airport
Jan 12, 2025
Making Concessions
METROPOLITAN AIRPORT NEWS
Making ConcessionsAs the Port Authority’s $30 billion airport redevelopment program moves forward across New York and New Jersey, a record 32.4 million passengers were welcomed across the agency’s commercial airports in the first quarter of 2024. From January through September 2024, about 109.7 million passengers used the agency’s commercial airports, with 11.9 million passengers welcomed during the month of September alone.  With passenger records for travel set at John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, and LaGuardia Airports, an enormous passenger demand arrives today following years of redevelopment at the agency’s three major airports, as their outdated terminals and footprints are transformed into 21st-century world-class gateways. Over the last years, Metropolitan Airport News has featured many of the substantial initiatives that have taken place at Port Authority airports and that involve considerable investments through public-private partnerships (P3s), cutting-edge technology, sustainability, arts and culture, community outreach, and passenger experience enhancements. This month’s feature focuses on the present and forthcoming concessions and concessionaires at New York metropolitan airports and how they enhance the passenger experience through both national and local community-based dining and retail options…options that all passengers can enjoy and that integrate a sense of place representative of the city and the region our airports serve. In terms of concessions at airports, these are businesses engaged in the sale of goods (food and beverage, retail, services) under agreement with the airport or owner lessee of the terminal.  For decades, the typical airport experience was largely task-driven… you commute to the airport, haul your luggage, check-in, go through security, find your gate, head to a newsstand for a magazine, stop to browse at a gift shop or a snack bar for a bite to eat, or go to a busy lounge to have a drink prior to boarding your flight. But today, airports are progressively being seen as civic entryways, as opposed to a mundane vehicle utilized to transport people from Point A to Point B. In order to surmount the long-held general sentiment of an airport as simply being a place and a stressful experience to go through in order to reach your destination, the presence of concessions is playing a vital part in transforming airports into attractive, pleasurable destinations in their own right.  Concessions are helping to transform helping to transform them into immersive spaces that are comfortable, vibrant, and inclusive,  and that enhance the passenger journey from a perspective of function and necessity, to a desirable world-class experience that operates efficiently and brings revenue into the airport. Retail establishments at airports may provide a variety of exciting products with an increase in the presence of local brands and businesses, while food and beverage concessions at airports offer appealing, local, healthful options and unique specialties that reflect the city’s culture and a touch of its local flavor from its surrounding communities. Technology at airport concessions is also increasingly important along all segments of a traveler’s journey, integrating technology into retail shops such as touch screens that allow customers to shop or retrieve details about products they may be interested in. The transformation of LaGuardia Airport (LGA) initiated in 2015 with a comprehensive plan to construct a world-class, 21st-century airport with a unified terminal system is particularly notable in having created a best-in-class passenger experience featuring modern amenities that reinforce the airport as a broader experience and a welcoming sense of place along each passenger’s journey.  Upon its completion in July 2022, the LaGuardia Terminal B redevelopment project led as a P3 between LaGuardia Gateway Partners (LGP) and the Port Authority NY & NJ, the 1.3 million sq. foot terminal offers its guests a completely new airport experience with an eclectic variety of retail, food and beverage, and locally inspired concessions. At LGA’s Terminal B, there are some 15 retail shops and nearly 30 food and beverage concessions, ranging from quick service in its food hall, to grab and go, to 1st class table service, integrating well-known, iconic New York establishments in the terminal that reflect the local flavors and culture of the city that include Eli’s Essentials, Junior’s, Brooklyn Diner, 5 Boroughs Food Emporium, Irving Farm Coffee Roasters, Hunt and Fish Grill, Bowery Bay Shops, District Market, FAO Schwarz, The Scoop, and more. In partnership with the Port Authority, Delta Air Lines and OTG Concessions Management offer travelers at the new, expansive LaGuardia Terminal C a blend of innovative designs and restaurants that use unique, locally sourced ingredients. Terminal C includes 30 percent more concession space than Delta’s former terminals, with 95 percent of the new concessions located post-security, allowing passengers to shop and dine while waiting to board their flight.  From modern Mediterranean to American traditions and a New York-inspired French Brasserie, Terminal C’s retail and food and beverage concessions, collaborating with local businesses, include local-inspired and popular favorites like Birch Coffee, Bubby’s, Chuko Ramen & Essex Burger, H & H Bagels, Soleil Brasserie, Fiorello Market, Sunday Supper, Rossi Pizzeria, CIBO Express Gourmet Market, Patricia Nash, and more.  Today’s remaking of LaGuardia Airport into a modern, unified terminal system comes after decades of the airport bearing the reputation for its confined, outdated facility and experience. The result of its remarkable transformation and the vision to enhance the customer experience, largely through its concessions, has helped LaGuardia Airport earn its title as ‘Best Airport in the U.S. in the 2024 Forbes Travel Guide Verified Air Travel Awards. This title was based on a survey of 5,000 hospitality and travel experts and the guide’s most well-traveled fliers, and this recognition is the most recent in a long list of accolades given to LaGuardia throughout the course of the airport’s redevelopment, which includes the much coveted Skytrax 5-Star rating awarded to Terminal B as the 2023 World’s Best New Airport Terminal along with the distinction of it becoming the first terminal in North American to be awarded the highest rating by Skytrax. Following the Port Authority’s comprehensive plan to rebuild its airports into 21st-century world-class travel gateways, the agency also embarked on the complete redevelopment of Newark Liberty International Airport, which vigorously began in phases with the opening of the new state-of-the-art Terminal A in January 2023. As a centerpiece of the Port Authority’s airport-wide renaissance, the completed Terminal A is home to a large variety of concessions and retail establishments that feature the best that New Jersey and the surrounding region have to offer, with an approximate 1 million square feet of space and 33 gates expected to handle an estimated 13.6 million passengers a year. Various retail, food, and beverage options are positioned throughout the terminal, in addition to a main, centralized post-security concession area where passengers can comfortably dine and shop while waiting for their flights. New Jersey favorites such as Smokehouse BBQ, Office Tavern & Grill, Jersey Mikes, Kitchen Step Neighborhood Bistro, Playa Bowls, Bang Cookies, Bold Newark, Artist Pop Shop, and more offer both locals and tourists a taste of New Jersey and a sense of place.  In just over a year since its opening to the public, the Port Authority and Munich Airport NJ LLC, the operator of Newark Liberty International’s new Terminal A, announced in March 2024 that Terminal A was given the prestigious Skytrax 5-Star rating, and today Newark’s Terminal A joins LaGuardia Airport’s Terminal B as the only two airport terminals in North America awarded the highest rating by Skytrax. Additionally, with the Port Authority’s ongoing vision to reimagine Newark Liberty International as a world-class gateway, the agency’s plan calls for building a new, world-class international terminal to replace Newark’s current Terminal B while enhancing Terminal C to improve customer experience. In the midst of the Port Authority’s $19 billion transformation of JFK International Airport, the public-private redevelopment program to build ‘A New JFK’ features the current multi-phased construction of two immense, state-of-the-art terminals across five previous terminal sites at the airport; the 2.6 million-square-foot New Terminal One (NTO), led in partnership with the Port Authority and the NTO, a consortium of financial and operating sponsors, and the 1.2 million-square-foot Terminal 6, led by JFK Millennium Partners (JMP), the private consortium selected by the Port Authority to build and operate the new T6. In pace with JFK Airport’s ongoing transformation is the expansion and modernization of the existing JFK International Terminal 4, completed in multiple phases in partnership with Delta Air Lines and JFKIAT, and Terminal 8, in collaboration with American Airlines and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) Airports.  Building on the Terminal 8 (T8) expansion project, which was completed in November 2022, the Port Authority, American Airlines, and URW Airports recently announced 21 new dining, retail, entertainment, and amenity brands powered by 13 local and diverse businesses featuring popular brands such as Eataly and Momofuku alongside New York local favorites Black Tap, Alidoro, Harlem Chocolate Factory, and many more. Also recently announced was the opening of six new retail spaces at T8 operated by small, local MWBE entrepreneurs. As part of the $125 million commercial redevelopment program for T8, the shops were selected through URW Airports’ Small Business Accelerator Program and represent the program’s commitment to providing opportunities for local businesses while delivering enhanced offerings to passengers. The Small Business Retail Accelerator Program lowers the barrier to entry into the airport for small local businesses and entrepreneurs by offering flexible deal terms and small format, plug-and-play spaces that significantly reduce upfront and design costs. Six dedicated turnkey spaces, two inline stores, and four retail kiosks were developed for founders or businesses from southeast Queens, Greater Queens, and the New York City metro regional area. Jennifer Spencer is the founder of alchemy, a Brooklyn-based lifestyle brand offering luxury in everyday living now present at T8, and she recently commented, “Opening a location at JFK’s Terminal 8 has been an incredible milestone, made possible through the URW Local Small Business Accelerator. The program provides invaluable tools, including mentorship and operational support, which allows us to refine our business model and product offering to a diverse audience of travelers. We’re excited to bring our thoughtfully curated products to one of the busiest international hubs and look forward to building lasting connections with our customers all over the world,” said Spencer. Nadia Ackerman, a Brooklyn resident and singer/songwriter, is bringing natchie, her popular line of hand-drawn illustrations, to JFK Terminal 8 for the first time. Her store features art, greeting cards, stationery, luggage tags, magnets, sustainable totes, and more.  “I always wanted to be in airports as I believe it is the perfect place for my brand,” Ackerman said. “The support I have received through URW’s small business initiative is immeasurable. This is an enormous opportunity to expand to a global audience, and I’m so excited to be here!” Additionally, in July 2023, the Port Authority launched a specialized training program called the Institute of Concessions (IOC), offering extensive training and mentoring to increase the number of local and diverse airport concessionaires at JFK. The IOC trains small businesses in key competencies and skills needed to competitively bid for and successfully operate airport concession and is strongly supported by the Port Authority’s private partners in the redevelopment of JFK: the New Terminal One, Delta Air Lines and JFKIAT, JFK Millennium Partners and American Airlines, all who share the goal of creating a unique, New York sense of place On December 20, JFKIAT (T4) reached a new milestone, marking 27M passengers at the terminal in 2024 – the highest number of passengers ever recorded in a single year there. JFKIAT has actively expanded its roster of commercial partners throughout T4s transformation and redevelopment and recently welcomed Eastward, Boulton & Watt, Melt Shop, Starbucks, Hudson Nonstop, and Queens Beat by Hudson. These new additions enhance T4’s already diverse and high-quality food and beverage options, offering a wide range of flavors that reflect both local New York favorites and global influences. Queens Beat by Hudson brings a curated selection of local offerings into T4. This new shop offers passengers an authentic local shopping experience, as JFKIAT works with local businesses to supply goods and merchandise that travelers may not have come across while visiting New York. The Melt Shop’s new location at T4 brings travelers the classic comfort food of New York City, and the newly opened Eastward Restaurant brings the flavors of Long Island to travelers, celebrating fresh produce and seafood in a relaxed coastal tavern setting.   The 23-gate New Terminal One aspires to be among the best terminals in the world with the first phase scheduled to open in 2026. It will offer exceptional dining and retail amenities where travelers will experience iconic local concessions, shopping options, and modern lounges.  In May 2024, URW Airports and The New Terminal One announced the Competitive Evaluation Process (CEP) for the Food Hall and Travel Essentials tenders, marking another significant milestone in the development of the commercial program for the privately funded all-international terminal. The NTO is designed to showcase brands at their best and cater to one of the world’s most attractive customer bases while creating opportunities for local businesses and residents. The Food Hall tender provides an incredible opportunity for innovative local and global market leaders who are well-versed in introducing new concepts and ideas and thrive at bringing new thinking to deliver best-in-class design, food, service, and guest experience. Structured as a single package of one landside and five airside units totaling 3,736 square feet, the tender will cover approximately half of the Food Hall in The New Terminal One.  With an overall program goal of 50% New York local food and beverage brands, the operator will work with the vibrant and unique local food and dining community to create genuine moments of wow. The tenderer shall offer a variety of menu offerings presented in the latest in outlet layouts, design, innovation, and concepts. All guests will be able to order food according to their preference, whether it is directly with an associate, through a kiosk, or on a mobile device. “Customers can look forward to world-class dining and retail at the New Terminal One, including exciting first-to-airport brands, when we open our doors in 2026. From the rich diversity of local New York products and flavors, to globally-renowned powerhouse brands, our array of dining and shopping options will help create a truly exceptional guest experience,” said The New Terminal One CEO Jennifer Aument. The Travel Essentials tender at the NTO will provide a unique platform for the industry’s leading innovative players to develop the best global, U.S. and New York merchandise mix to provide guests a high range and quality of choice and promote a New York sense of place. Structured as a single package of three landside and four airside locations totaling 6,427 square feet, the travel essentials operator will offer an array of snacks, beverages, pharmacy items, and magazines, as well as specialized offers such as luggage, books, and gifts. As the development of Terminal 6 (T6), led by JFK Millennium Partners (JMP), progresses, an exciting retail experience is set to launch at the brand-new terminal with the completion of its first phase of construction and opening of its first gates in 2026. JMP has partnered with Avolta companies Hudson/Dufry to open over 28,000 square feet of duty-free retail space in Terminal 6. This space will feature a mix of global luxury brands and local New York favorites, creating a unique sense of place. The retail program will include several first-to-airport initiatives and activations, offering travelers a dynamic and immersive shopping experience.  Key highlights of the retail experience at the new T6 will include: The Liquor Libraries, offering premium spirits and a Prohibition Speakeasy; The Green Market showcasing NYC’s finest artisanal goods; The Pavilion, a sanctuary of premium beauty and skincare products; Theater of Dreams, a fragrance haven inspired by Union Square’s Daryl Roth Theatre. In addition, Hudson will open nearly 10,000 square-feet of travel convenience and specialty retail space with stores that will offer travelers everything that they need for their journey. At the new Terminal 6, the inclusion of local MWBE (Minority & Women-Owned Business Enterprises) and ACDBE (Airport Disadvantaged Business Enterprises) represents a significant step toward generating economic opportunities around JFK Airport and featuring local and diverse businesses is shaping the forthcoming concessions at T6. JMP has selected businesses that embody the spirit of New York to join the world-class T6 travel hub – some as joint-venture partners and others as food and beverage concessionaires.  This initiative will enhance the passenger experience while driving and bring lasting, impactful change to the local economy. The selected ACDBE joint venture partners include: Baked Cravings, Neir’s Tavern, Tsion Café, The Nourish Spot, Sullivan-Hernandez Group, Samantha Alexis Consulting, and Kellee Communications.  The local eateries whose brands will be featured in the new Terminal 6 include: Di Fara Pizza, Alidoro Café, BKLYN Blend, Fuku, and Hanoi House.  Steve Thody, CEO, JFK Millennium Partners, said, “We are especially proud of the local and diverse businesses that were selected for our phase one T6 concessions program. These businesses embody the spirit of New York—bold, innovative, and resilient. As they prepare to join us in our world-class terminal, either as concessionaires or joint venture partners – they are sharing not only their amazing expertise, but also the diverse flavors of our surrounding Queens community. We couldn’t have asked for a better group of partners to open our doors within 2026.”    Two of the T6 Phase 1 local concessionaires are graduates of the Institute of Concessions (IOC); Keishon Warren, CEO, BKLN Blend, and Beejhy Barhany, founding owner and executive chef of Tsion Café.  BKLN Blend was initially founded by Keishon Warren to help support his parents as they approached retirement. Fueled by the love of community, Warren’s mission evolved to focus on serving his community nutritious meals with kindness, recognizing the importance of offering diverse, healthy choices, and intentionally designing the BKLN Blend brand to reflect this commitment. Since 2016, BKLYN Blend has been a staple Black-owned juice bar and health food restaurant in Bedford-Stuyvesant and East New York, Brooklyn.  In speaking of his opportunity as a future concessionaire at Terminal 6, Warren said “As a minority, small business owner, I never thought I’d have the opportunity to be in the airport, but the IOC definitely allowed me to participate in the expansion of the airport. My experience with the IOC program has been transformative and has truly opened doors for me to realize and pursue my dreams. The connections I’ve made within the airport community and the resources available through the program would not have been easily accessible otherwise.” “We’re bringing a lot of healthy options into the airport which you don’t typically see when traveling through the airport…so we’re really excited to bring that element into the airport,” added Keishon.   Tsion Café, located in Harlem, was founded by Ethiopian-born and Israeli-raised chef and activist Beejhy Barhany in 2014, with a mission to nourish the body and soul with culinary blends and fine art. The cuisine at Tsion (pronounced ‘see-on’) harmonizes flavors from Ethiopia, Israel, and diverse New York, with a fully vegan and Kosher menu and gluten-free options.  “We are about sustainability and providing healthy and awesome food to the community and eventually to the people that come into the airport. The way we will bring that to the airport will be as consumer packaged goods, our artisanal and nutritious line of handmade Ethiopian dips, chips, sauces, and Berbere spice blends,” remarked Barhany.  As a selected ACDBE joint venture partner at Terminal 6, Barhany discussed her experience in completing the Institute of Concessions program, saying, “Overall the IOC is a great program that gives you an insight into the whole airport operation and airport. It really is a great introduction that gives you a view of what is entailed and what it takes to operate a business in an airport.”  As JFK Millennium Partners continues to bring together local businesses to explore concession opportunities, the JFK Terminal 6 Local Business Marketplace offers retail businesses based in Queens and graduates of the Port Authority Institute of Concessions (IOC) a unique opportunity to enter the airport retail space.  The marketplace will feature five retail and grab-and-go concessions (two kiosks and three inline units) launching in 2026 and 2028. JMP will oversee the design, construction, and costs of building these units! Selected businesses will only need to supply merchandise and staff, and a minimal investment into the space will be required to make it their own.
airport
Jan 12, 2025
The Aviation Trail
METROPOLITAN AIRPORT NEWS
The Aviation TrailIf aviation had an equivalent to Mecca, it would most likely be Dayton, Ohio, and its Aviation Trail enables the visitor to trace the lives of the Wright Brothers and their invention of the world’s first successful aircraft. Considered the “birthplace of aviation,” Dayton itself is inextricably tied to the Wright Brothers. “In a sense, the Wright Brothers and Dayton came of age together,” according to the National Park Service’s “Dayton Aviation Heritage” brochure. “It was a nurturing environment for the curious and creative pair. From childhood, they tinkered, built, and showed an entrepreneurial bent-tendencies that found an outlet in the print shops they ran from 1887 to 1899.” Although the foundation of some of their work was laid by earlier aviation predecessors, such as Sir George Cayley, Clement Ader, Otto Lilienthal, Octave Chanute, and Samuel Pierpont Langley, they themselves were the first to successfully fly a controlled, powered, heavier-than-air aircraft on December 17, 1903 at Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, in the form of the Wright Flyer because they had applied a systematic approach to solving the technological and aerodynamic problems associated with flight, focusing on the three main parameters of lift, propulsion, and balance and control. “Theoretical work in Dayton lay behind the revolutionary control system employed at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina,” the “Dayton Aviation Heritage” brochure continues (ibid). “The aircraft they assembled there was made from components fabricated in their hometown bicycle shop.” As part of the larger National Aviation Heritage Area, the Aviation Trail provides insight into the Wright Brothers’ early lives, influences, and their later perfection of the airplane. “The Dayton Aviation Trail was established in 1981 by Aviation Trail, Inc., whose mission is to preserve and promote Dayton’s unique aviation heritage, starting with the invention of the airplane by Wilbur and Orville Wright,” according to the Dayton Aviation and Convention Bureau. Its interpretive attractions are many. Starting point, perhaps, is the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center, located in the Hoover Block Building section of the complex, where the famous brothers established their printing business between 1890 and 1895. Adjacent to it is the Aviation Trail Visitor Center, which features exhibits on all aspects of their lives, from childhood to their aeronautical experiments. Printing led to bicycles, as can be gleaned in the Wright Cycle Company, another Aviation Trail sight. By late 1892, the joint Wilbur-and-Orville printing venture, already highly successful, had begun to diminish in importance, and interest turned to personal transportation. Both brothers had, after all, been mechanics and excellent riders and, with sufficient funding, opened a sales shop on West Third Street in Dayton. With increasing demand, and the emerging need for repairs and servicing, they moved to several successively larger shops, ultimately designing their own bicycle brand, the Van Cleve, thus forming the Wright Cycle Company. The bicycle, however, only proved to be the first step to the airplane. Both were mechanically based, prompting the inseparable pair to create a so-called “technology transfer” from it to the airplane by analyzing the commonalities between their control methods. It was, in fact, in the back of just such a bicycle shop where the world’s first aircraft took shape. The brick Wright Cycle Shop located at 22 South William Street next to the Hoover Block, one of only two original Wright Brothers buildings still standing in their original locations in the Wrights’ West Side neighborhood and a National Historic Landmark, was occupied between 1895 and 1897. Today, the building features its original wood plank floors, a workshop, several Wright Van Cleve bicycles, and interactive displays demonstrating the application of bicycle technology to aerial design. Another significant Aviation Trail site is Huffman Prairie Flying Field. Although initial flight experimentations occurred in North Carolina, it had quickly become difficult to continue flying from there for three primary reasons: The distance between North Carolina and Ohio to repair one of many parts in the more fully-equipped Dayton workshop had become prohibitive. The sand on Kill Devil Hill would ultimately damage the engine. Correct wind direction, tantamount to flight, often failed to materialize, resulting in countless days of inactivity. In order to remedy the deficiencies, the Wrights received permission to use an 84-acre cow pasture located nine miles northeast of Dayton called “˙.” Its layer of clay and frost heaves hindered tree growth yet provided a surface soft enough to cushion hard landings. It was from this field that they tested the successor to the original Wright Flyer, the Wright Flyer II. Powered by a larger, 15-16 hp engine with increased propeller width, the modified, more ambitious design featured white pine wing spars with spruce; a longer, 40-foot wingspan; reduced wing camber; a larger, aft-relocated fuel tank; and an almost 300-pound gross weight. Take-offs were achieved with a 250-foot-long wooden launch rail, considered the world’s second runway after that used in Kill Devil Hills. Because projected winds often failed to produce sufficient airspeed in which to become airborne, however, a 1,200- to 1,600-pound catapult, erected on September 4, 1904, generated the required 28-mph aerial speed. Of the 105 mostly-short flights conducted in 1904, the longest covered three miles, and the airplane remained aloft for five minutes, eight seconds. Between 1910 and 1916, the Wright Company operated a flying school there, training more than 100 of the world’s first pilots for the Wright Exhibition Team and the military. In 1917, the US Army Signal Corps purchased the field, along with 2,000 adjacent acres, and renamed it Wilbur Wright Field, subsequently establishing Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on it in 1948. Today, Huffman Prairie Flying Field, the world’s first “airport,” remains exactly the way it was during the Wright Brothers’ test flights, with a replica of their 1905 hangar (again the world’s first), a reproduction of their catapult system, and National Park Service interpretive signs.   The nearby Huffman Prairie Flying Field Interpretive Center offers exhibits that focus on the 1904-1905 experimental flights, the 1910-1916 flying school, and the history of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The Wright Flyer III, yet another important Aviation Trail sight, is located in Carillon Historical Park, a 65-acre outdoor museum opened in 1950 consisting of 24 attractions which deal with invention, settlement, industry, and transportation. The aircraft, seven feet longer than the Wright Flyer II and the third design evolution after the original Wright Flyer, featured decoupled wing-warping and rudder controls for the first time, the former the initial method of banking along the lateral axis. With its three axes of flight—pitch, roll, and yaw—thus independently controllable by September of 1905, the design, with larger horizontal and vertical stabilizers and upward-curving skids, eliminated turn-induced stall tendencies and was able to perform a wide range of aerial maneuvers, including banks, circles, and figure-eights. With an endurance exceeding 30 minutes, it provided the training aircraft in which countless others learned to fly. A 1908 modification entailed the installation of a more powerful engine, reconfigured controls, and, for the first time, passenger provision on the lower wing surface. The Wright Flyer III, housed in Carillon Historical Park’s Wright Hall, was restored under the personal supervision of Orville Wright himself. The National Museum of the United States Air Force, adjacent to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and part of the Aviation Trail, is the world’s largest and oldest military aviation facility and features more than 360 aircraft and missiles and some 6,000 historical artifacts housed in 19 acres of indoor display hangars spanning the history of aviation from the Wright Brothers to current stealth aircraft technology. It contains an atrium entrance, an IMAX theater, a gift shop, a bookstore, a café, the National Aviation Hall of Fame, an outdoor Air Park and Memorial Park, and seven galleries: Early Years, Air Power, Modern Flight, Cold War, Missile/Space, Presidential Aircraft, and Research and Development/Flight Test Aircraft.   Significant exhibits, to name only a few, include the North American XB-70 Valkyrie, the Wright 1909 Military Flyer, the Bleriot Monoplane, the Curtiss JN-4D Jenny, the Nieuport 28, the Sopwith Camel, the Fokker D.VII, the de Havilland DH.4, the North American B-25B Mitchell, the Consolidated B-24D Liberator, the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress, the Boeing B-52D Stratofortress, the Convair B-36J Peacemaker, the Boeing WB-50D Superfortress, the Boeing RB-47H Stratojet, and the Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird.   Also on display is a rich collection of former presidential transports, like the Douglas VC-54C Skymaster “Sacred Cow,” Franklin D. Roosevelt’s purposefully-built airplane; the Douglas VC-118 “The Independence” used by Harry S. Truman between 1947 and 1953; and the Boeing VC-137C SAM 26000, the 707-320B-modified and first specifically-designed jet aircraft for presidential use designated “Air Force One.” During its 36-year flying career, it carried eight sitting presidents and countless dignitaries on historic journeys known as Special Air Missions or “SAMs.” “The William E. Boeing Presidential Gallery gives visitors the opportunity to view an historic collection of presidential aircraft, and walk through four of them, including aircraft used by Presidents Roosevelt, Truman, and Eisenhower, as well as the Boeing VC-137C which was used by eight presidents–Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, and Clinton–in addition to carrying heads-of-state, diplomats, and other dignitaries and officials, on many historic journeys,” according to the museum. For an aeronautical professional or just bonafide buff, a visit to Dayton, the “Birthplace of Aviation,” is an immersive and enhancing experience.
airport
Jan 10, 2025
Air Canada To Operate From Jfk Terminal 6 In 2026
METROPOLITAN AIRPORT NEWS
Air Canada To Operate From Jfk Terminal 6 In 2026JFK Millennium Partners (JMP), the company selected by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey to build and operate John F. Kennedy International Airport’s new world-class Terminal 6 (T6), and Air Canada, Canada’s largest airline and a Skytrax Four-Star rated carrier, today announced that Air Canada will operate from T6 when it opens to passengers in 2026, joining fellow Star Alliance partners Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and ANA as future T6 airlines. Terminal 6 is a key component of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s $19 billion transformation of JFK International Airport into a world-class gateway, with two new terminals, two expanded and modernized terminals, a new ground transportation center, and an entirely new, simplified roadway network. Air Canada passengers can look forward to T6’s digital-first, boutique guest experience, with a less than 5-minute average walk from the TSA security checkpoint exit to all gates,100,000 square feet of NYC-inspired shopping, dining, lounges and amenities, curated public art, sustainable operating features, and a premium guest experience throughout the terminal. Air Canada Express-Jazz currently operates two daily flights from Toronto and one daily flight from Montreal to JFK Terminal 7 using its highly-rated Embraer E175 aircraft, with all flights pre-cleared for U.S. customs and immigration in Canada. The JFK service, which has been in place since March 2023, complements Air Canada’s existing operations at New York’s LaGuardia and Newark Airport, offering passengers a combined total of 36 daily flights between the New York market and Canada. Together with Lufthansa, Air Canada is a founding member of Star Alliance, the world’s most comprehensive air transportation network. It is also the only international network carrier in North America to receive a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax.  “We are thrilled that Air Canada has selected T6 as its future home at JFK, where passengers can expect a boutique, premium experience,” said Steve Thody, CEO, JFK Millennium Partners. This decision is also a testament to the close partnership we’ve built with Air Canada at T7, and we can’t wait to strengthen that partnership even further as we welcome Air Canada passengers to our new, state-of-the-art T6 facility,” Thody added. “New York is extremely popular for business, leisure and family travel for Canadians, and we are pleased to serve all the city’s major airports. Moving our operation to T6 will improve the airport experience for our customers and facilitate connections with our partners. Through our connections at our Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver hubs, travelers from New York can easily reach anywhere in Canada or onward on our international network,” said Mark Galardo, Executive Vice President of Revenue and Network Planning at Air Canada.
airport
Jan 06, 2025
Airport Terminal Replica Provides Rehearsal Space For Nto’S Incoming Tech At Jfk Airport
METROPOLITAN AIRPORT NEWS
Airport Terminal Replica Provides Rehearsal Space For Nto’S Incoming Tech At Jfk AirportThe information screens can tell you where to find food and drinks. The ticketing kiosks can spit out a boarding pass. The conveyor belts can weigh and move your luggage. The check-in gate can turn green and swing open. You might think you were inside a real airport. In reality, an unassuming office park some 40 miles from John F. Kennedy International Airport is a fake airport terminal to test the very real state-of-the-art technology that will create one of the most exceptional passenger experiences in the world at the airport’s new $9.5 billion international terminal. The Port Authority’s private partners constructed the replica airport terminal to build JFK’s new Terminal One, supported by AECOM Tishman and aviation and travel technology provider SITA, to get the band ready to play some impressive tunes together. The required teamwork is perhaps most evident in one of the new terminal’s defining features: the use of facial recognition. Instead of rummaging around for boarding passes, passports, and IDs at several stops along the terminal journey, future New Terminal One passengers will have the option to get from curb to gate using only their faces. After registering at a check-in kiosk, data is transmitted to several different systems across the terminal to allow equipment to recognize different passengers and clear them through various checkpoints. Pioneering systems to handle baggage will also hinge on communication and collaboration between terminal systems, ensuring a passenger’s journey mirrors that of their luggage, including any last-minute itinerary or aircraft changes. “We will be using cutting-edge technology to ensure a seamless experience from the minute they enter the airport to the minute they get to their gate and take off,” said Hersh Parekh, the Port Authority’s deputy chief of intergovernmental affairs. “That’s the technology that’s being tested at this site, from check-in to baggage handling and everything that comes as part of the airport experience.” While passengers will have no shortage of impressive tech in front of them, the most transformative changes may be behind the scenes, where new systems will be in place to manage the flow of aircraft to and from the apron, the aviation term for the airside area between terminal gates and taxiways. The space can easily get congested, resulting in delays that can quickly cascade. At the new Terminal One, the apron will be managed by software from ADB Safegate, integrating a stream of constantly changing information from a multitude of sources to make lightning-fast decisions around aircraft movement, all in the hopes of minimizing delays and maximizing efficiency. Beyond the federally run air traffic control, the new terminal will have its own ramp management tower where controllers can keep a close eye on specific aircraft. Advanced docking systems will give planes parking instructions customized to their aircraft model, supplementing on-the-ground workers and providing backup during severe weather. The software also integrates artificial intelligence, collecting data on all arriving and departing flights to make predictions around aircraft schedules and turnaround times. For Parekh and the Port Authority, the cutting-edge technology going into the new terminal encapsulates the larger goal around the agency’s $19 billion renovation of John F. Kennedy International Airport, which includes two new terminals, expansion and modernization of existing terminals, streamlined roadways, local shops and restaurants, and New York-centric art that gives travelers an unmistakable sense of place. “The work going on here will play an important role in achieving the Port Authority’s goal of transforming JFK into one of the world’s great new global gateways. The new terminal will be nothing less than world-class. That’s what we’re striving towards.” Pinillos, who has worked on new airport terminals across the world, said he understands the gravity of this particular assignment. “New York stands alone over any other city in the world,” he said. “We’re building a gateway to the U.S. for international visitors. This is what they’ll see first. Just as much as they remember the modern building and the art and the concessions, we want them to remember the easy, smooth experience they had coming and going.”
airport
Dec 23, 2024
Small Business Retail Accelerator At Jfk’S T8 Creates Economic Opportunities For Local Entrepreneurs In Airport Concessions Programs
METROPOLITAN AIRPORT NEWS
Small Business Retail Accelerator At Jfk’S T8 Creates Economic Opportunities For Local Entrepreneurs In Airport Concessions ProgramsThe Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, American Airlines, and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) Airports announced the opening this week of six new retail spaces at John F. Kennedy International Airport’s (JFK) Terminal 8 (T8) operated by small, local, women- and minority-owned entrepreneurs. As part of the $125 million commercial redevelopment program for T8, these shops were selected through URW’s small business accelerator program and represent the program’s commitment to providing opportunities for local businesses and entrepreneurs while delivering an enhanced offering to passengers. URW’s small business retail accelerator is lowering the barrier to entry for small local businesses by offering flexible deal terms and small format, plug-and-play spaces that significantly reduce upfront and design costs. The project has developed six dedicated turnkey spaces – two inline stores and four retail kiosks – for founders or businesses from southeast Queens, greater Queens, or the New York City metropolitan/regional area.“As the Port Authority develops world-class airports around the region, we are working with our private partners to ensure that local businesses are able to share in these historic investments,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “Helping local businesses access concessions opportunities at Terminal 8 is an asset for our passengers, who will enjoy products unique to New York that are made and sold by local artisans and vendors.” “Our vision for a world-class airport at JFK is one that creates a uniquely New York sense of place while also providing economic opportunities to businesses from the surrounding community,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “Cutting the ribbon for six new concessions at Terminal 8, each operated by local and diverse business owners, demonstrates that we are delivering on our commitments by creating opportunities for the community and providing a New York sense of place for our passengers.” “These six, local women bring the energy and enthusiasm of a small business owner to Terminal 8 while offering one-of-a-kind products, which are made right here in New York,” said Dominic Lowe, U.S. chief operating officer of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. “Working with the Port Authority, the Institute of Concessions and American Airlines, we designed these opportunities with a support system to help businesses thrive. This cutting-edge program is part of our overall effort of integrating local businesses and products and will serve as a model for JFK and beyond. Airports from all over the country have reached out wanting to understand more about what we’re doing, and how we’re doing it.” The local businesses were selected based on their unique products, ability to scale, and business plans. The entrepreneurs offer a variety of goods that were specifically chosen for the JFK Terminal 8 passenger. Products include jewelry, home decor, hand-drawn illustrations of iconic New York scenes, honey and honey-based products, vegan skincare, jams and preserves, tonics and health supplements. Through a competitive process, the program gives local businesses the opportunity for a short-term lease to test their concepts in the airport environment with hands-on support from URW’s team of retail experts, curated education, and networking events to enhance overall business readiness and success in airport environments. URW actively recruits and maintains a pipeline for future opportunities. “American is excited about the continued partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and URW to support local Queens and New York-area small businesses,” said Amanda Zhang, American Airlines’ vice president of corporate real estate. “URW’s small business retail accelerator program will positively impact local community members and their businesses for years to come by providing them with affordable access to airport retail space and a global customer base that may have otherwise been out of reach. We look forward to providing our customers and customers of our partners at Terminal 8 with even more local shopping and restaurant options with the opening of these accelerator stores and kiosks.” Since 2018, the JFK Redevelopment Community Advisory Council has been working with the Port Authority to expand community outreach efforts and develop community-focused programs, ensuring that this ambitious project solicits ongoing feedback from local stakeholders and provides meaningful opportunities for local businesses, MWBEs, students and jobseekers. The council is co-chaired by U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks and Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, and is composed of elected officials, community boards, business and nonprofit organizations, civic organizations, and clergy leaders from the targeted local communities of southeast Queens, southwest Queens, the Rockaways and western portions of Nassau County. Since its inception, the council has worked with the Port Authority to advance the agency’s commitment to a 30 percent MWBE contracting goal in all categories of work, with a special focus on opportunities for local businesses, across all aspects of the JFK redevelopment program, including terminal projects, which are being built by union labor under a full project-labor agreement. In 2023, acting on guidance from the Community Advisory Council, the Port Authority initiated the Institute of Concessions to help small, local business owners learn the skills necessary to compete for opportunities at JFK. Information on the new businesses, which are now open in JFK Terminal 8, are provided below: Jennifer Spencer founded alchemy., a Brooklyn-based lifestyle brand offering luxury in everyday living. With a passion for unique, functional products, she curates candles, perfumes, jewelry, and home decor. Handmade in small batches, alchemy. prioritizes sustainability and local craftsmanship. “Opening a shop at JFK, a gateway to the United States and a crossroads for travelers worldwide, is an incredible milestone for me and my company,” Spencer said. “Being a part of the transformative redevelopment of Terminal 8 is a unique opportunity to raise brand awareness on a global stage, contributing to this vibrant and iconic space while celebrating progress, diversity, and innovation.” Amerrah Danielson, a Queens resident and graduate of the Institute of Concessions, began making skincare products 22 years ago driven by the desire to find solutions for sensitive skin. She combined her love of cooking and cosmetology to create Beautiful Amore Skincare, known for its plant-based ingredients. Her kiosk features her high-quality, vegan products including body and lip butters, lotions, oils, scrubs, hand sanitizers and hair care. “My goal is to be a household name so having my products on the global stage of JFK gets me one step closer,” Danielson said. “I hope I can inspire people who look like me and push them to follow their dreams. This program is truly for the community and speaks volumes to URW Airports in providing the spaces and support for us to succeed.” Queens resident Gracia Clery-Leonce’s zest for a healthy lifestyle led her to start cooking and encouraging healthy eating habits that inspired the creation of Bevo’s Kitchen. As a clinical laboratory scientist and a healthy lifestyle coach, her mantra, “Because you are what you eat,” drove her to start making everyday foods like jams and preserves launching her company in 2016. In 2020, Gracia added a savory line of vegan/vegetarian dishes to her packaged products. She brings her farmer’s market favorites including jams and preserves, granolas, fruit chips, trail mix and snack balls to Terminal 8. “With JFK in my backyard, I always wanted to get my products into the airport, so this is a dream come true,” Clery-Leonce said. “Eating healthy while traveling is challenging, especially for plant-based travelers and I want to change that. I want to teach the world the importance of a healthy lifestyle via good healthy eating habits and what better way than to interact with passengers from around the globe.” Brooklyn resident and singer/songwriter Nadia Ackerman is bringing natchie, her popular line of hand-drawn illustrations to the airport for the first time. Her art started with song lyric illustrations and then sketches of iconic New York. Her store features art, greeting cards, stationery, luggage tags, magnets, sustainable totes, and more. “I always wanted to be in airports as I believe it is the perfect place for my brand,” Ackerman said. “The support I have received through URW’s small business initiative is immeasurable. This is an enormous opportunity to expand to a global audience and I’m so excited to be here.” Queens resident Ruth Harrigan is the founder and Queen bee at HoneyGramz, a company based in Great Neck, N.Y., that is created by her passion for beekeeping. As an avid beekeeper and advocate, she aims to help save the bees by teaching the importance of pollination to customers and her community. She offers a collection of honey from New York and specializes in creamed honey. One of her bestsellers is her Gold Sofi award-winning creamed New York elderberry honey. She also offers bee-themed tea towels, luggage tags, mugs, books and more at her kiosk. “Being in JFK exposes our products to the whole world and I am elated for the opportunity,” Harrigan said. “We want to create awareness about the importance of bees and being able to spread our message to passengers around the world is such a gift. This is a dream come true.” With a mission to help people live in optimal health and happiness, Jamaica resident Dr. Lord-Marcelle used her expertise in holistic medicine to open Mother Earth Juice Bar in 2017. The juice bar and wellness center specializing in natural health, is a go-to for supplements, tonics, herbal remedies, and naturopathic therapies. T8 passengers can find some of her top products at her kiosk. “Opening up my business in the airport is a tremendous opportunity for me as an African-American woman from the Caribbean,” Lord-Marcelle said. “To be able to have a presence in T8 is an exciting milestone for my business especially, as a community leader who is dedicated to helping people get certified to operate in airports.” In January 2017, the JFK Vision Plan was announced to transform JFK into the world-class airport that New Yorkers deserve. The vision plan provides a strategic framework for the Port Authority and its partners to completely redevelop, modify and expand existing facilities and infrastructure. The $9.5 billion development of a state-of-the-art New Terminal One that will anchor the airport’s south side broke ground in September 2022. A new $4.2 billion Terminal 6, which will connect seamlessly with Terminal 5 to create an anchor terminal on the airport’s north side, broke ground in February 2023. The $1.5 billion expansion of Terminal 4, led by Delta Air Lines and JFK International Air Terminal (JFKIAT), is substantially complete. Additionally, the $400 million expansion of Terminal 8, led by American Airlines, which operates the terminal, was completed in November 2022. A key component of the new terminals will be world-class concessions featuring local and diverse business alongside national brands. Terminal 6 and Terminal 8 recently announced their initial concessions selections. The commercial redevelopment program by JFK T8 Innovation Partners, a joint venture led by URW and certified minority-business enterprise (MBE) equity partner Phoenix Infrastructure Group, follows the completed expansion of Terminal 8. The newly expanded and modernized Terminal 8 is a component of the Port Authority’s $19 billion redevelopment of JFK, which prioritizes local, small businesses bringing world-class dining and retail in every new or modernized terminal. All of the privately financed terminal projects combined with the Port Authority’s roadway, parking and infrastructure projects represent a $19 billion transformation of JFK and an extraordinary series of public-private partnerships. The Port Authority’s capital investment of $3.9 billion is leveraging private investment at a rate of nearly four to one when taking into account the full private investment of more than $15 billion that has been committed to the four projects comprising the full redevelopment of JFK.
airport
Dec 20, 2024
Norse Atlantic Airways Selects Jfk’S New Terminal 6 For Operations In 2026
METROPOLITAN AIRPORT NEWS
Norse Atlantic Airways Selects Jfk’S New Terminal 6 For Operations In 2026Terminal 6 is a key component of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s $19 billion transformation of John F. Kennedy International Airport into a world-class gateway, with two new terminals, two expanded and modernized terminals, a new ground transportation center, and an entirely new, simplified roadway network. Norse Atlantic, which was recently ranked the 15th largest airline at JFK airport, currently operates a nonstop service from JFK Terminal 7 to Athens, Berlin, London Gatwick, Oslo, Paris and Rome using its state-of-the-art Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, offering passengers both Economy Class and Premium cabins. Founded in 2021, Norse Atlantic began operating from JFK Terminal 7 with one daily flight to London Gatwick in 2023 and has since grown its service extensively to include up to six daily flights to top destinations in Europe during the peak 2024 summer period. Beginning in 2026, Norse Atlantic passengers will be among the first to experience T6’s digital-first, boutique guest experience, with a less than 5-minute average walk from the TSA security checkpoint exit to all gates,100,000 square feet of NYC-inspired shopping, dining, lounges and amenities, curated public art, sustainable operating features, and a premium guest experience throughout the terminal. “We have enjoyed a fantastic partnership with Norse Atlantic since the very beginning of their JFK T7 operations and are excited to have them join us at the new T6, where Norse Atlantic passengers can expect nothing less than a five-star experience,” said Steve Thody, CEO, JFK Millennium Partners, the company selected by the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey to manage Terminal 7 and build and operate John F. Kennedy International Airport’s new world-class Terminal 6 (T6). “JFK remains a cornerstone in our network strategy, serving as a gateway between the United States and Europe. Establishing Terminal 6 as our main hub in 2026 will enable us to offer an even more seamless and modern travel experience to our passengers. We are proud to continue our growth at JFK, reinforcing its status as a key hub that supports our vision of making continents and cultures accessible to more people”, said Bård Nordhagen, Chief Commercial Officer at Norse Atlantic Airways.
airport
Dec 19, 2024
Gameway Lands At Jfk Terminal 8
METROPOLITAN AIRPORT NEWS
Gameway Lands At Jfk Terminal 8The award-winning pioneers of airport gaming lounges, Gameway, celebrated the official unveiling of their electrifying new location at John F. Kennedy International Airport Terminal 8. This marks Gameway’s first location in the New York City area, bringing the total number of airport lounges to 7 across the country. Gameway’s newest lounge continues the brand’s mission to help transform the airport experience and make air travel more fun. Gameway’s latest state-of-the-art gaming lounge promises an unparalleled entertainment experience for travelers of all ages. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or a casual player, this epic destination offers an adrenaline-pumping escape from the ordinary just in time for holiday travel. Their locations offer Xbox, PlayStation, PC, retro gaming options, snacks, and drinks. As the only Video Gaming Lounge in U.S. airports, they’ve already garnered accolades from passengers, A-List celebrities, athletes, and gamers alike, and this new location is about to raise the bar even higher. This sleek and modern store boasts an expanded range of luxury console and PC gaming stations, industry-leading amenities, and services that take the airport experience to the next level. The Gameway Ultra location represents the evolution of the brand, with the all-new RetroZone® bar where visitors can enjoy a selection of craft beers while indulging in classical video games. It’s the perfect way to kick off the holiday season, unwind, and have some seriously epic fun before your flight takes off. Gameway asks, ‘Why wait when you can game?'” said Emma Walbridge, Co-Founder of Gameway. “We are thrilled to partner with Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (URW) and Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to welcome holiday travelers with the grand opening of Gameway Ultra in JFK. This is our first location in New York, and our aim is to enhance the traveler experience by offering a fun and entertaining alternative at the airport. As a minority-owned business, I am also extremely grateful to URW and American Airlines for giving us the opportunity to bring the Gameway experience to Terminal 8.” “We are thrilled to welcome Gameway to John F. Kennedy International Airport Terminal 8, marking the debut of this award-winning women-owned concept at JFK,” said Ian Carter, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield Vice President, JFK.”Partnering with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and American Airlines, we are investing $125 million to elevate the customer experience at T8. Gameway’s cutting-edge gaming lounges provide a fun and relaxing option for travelers, and we are proud to partner in bringing this exciting amenity to Terminal 8. ”Gameway’s success has been recognized and celebrated by the aviation industry. In 2024, they were awarded the“Pioneer of the Year” award by Airport Dimensions and the “Champions of Diversity” award by SOAR at DFW, and in2023, they were voted the “Best New Passenger Service” by ACI-NA and “Best Passenger Service” by AXN. Gameway has seven current airport locations and ambitious plans for expansion, with several more Gameway locations set to open in 2025, including a second location at John F. Kennedy International Airport Terminal 5 and new locations at Chicago Midway, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and two in DetroitMetropolitan Wayne County Airport. The JFK T8 Gameway lounge is now open daily from 5:00 am to 11:00 pm for ticketed passengers. Additional details can be found at www.gameway.gg.
airport
Dec 18, 2024
Spreading Holiday Cheer At Jfk International Airport… On Glass
METROPOLITAN AIRPORT NEWS
Spreading Holiday Cheer At Jfk International Airport… On GlassDeborah Camp is a professional muralist, graphic designer, artist, author, and educator, locally based in Queens. She was hired to create a festive atmosphere for the employees of American Airlines, and she has done just that, having recently completed the painting of Christmas window murals at American Airlines Building 79 and American’s Hangar 10 at JFK International Airport. Over the years, Camp has painted window, wall, and menu chalkboard murals for various commercial clients and seasons, with themes that create a space that is colorful, inviting, and that offers an engaging visual narrative upon windows and walls – including spaces that are currently under renovation. “I customize my murals according to my client’s ideas. I show them a sketch after discussing the concepts and once my client picks out the design of their choice, I hand paint the design on the surface,” said Camp. Ms. Camp has shared her visual art, writing, and poetry with the community at local Queens shows, channeling her passion for the arts to encourage everyone to follow their dreams. Spreading the cheer that mural art can bring to the airport, Camp’s murals at JFK International, as with much of her previous shows, are about nurturing the inner child in all of us and about the importance of keeping alive a sense of wonder while looking at the world through a lens, or in this case, glass… to find inspiration in everything that is around us.
airport
Dec 16, 2024