British Airways is spending more than £52 million on a revamp of its terminal at New York’s JFK airport.
The redesign of Terminal 7 aims to transform the airport experience for the thousands of passengers that use it each week, the airline claimed.
The project follows a series of investment announcements by BA, including a £400 million upgrade of Club World, the introduction of Club Europe cabins on domestic flights, lounge refurbishments, a new First Wing at Heathrow Terminal 5, as well as latest generation wi-fi on long-haul and short-haul fleets, self-service check-in and biometric boarding gates.
The redesign at JFK is due to be completed by the end of 2018, revealing a spacious, modern new check-in concourse with a separate Club World and First area.
The intimate space will draw inspiration from the First Wing at Heathrow and a new premium check-in area at Gatwick’s South Terminal.
New gate seating areas with additional power outlets are also planned.
BA head of customer, Abigail Comber, said: “We are currently working behind-the-scenes with top architects and designers to create a beautiful new space for our customers to relax, dine and work in before they take off.
“The new environment at Terminal 7 is designed for our customers to enjoy a smoother, faster and more relaxed airport experience. This will involve significantly increasing the number of people we can seat for in-flight dining, re-styling the space and adding new lighting, bars and furniture.
“We recently opened our new lounge at Boston and next year we’ll be turning our attention to Aberdeen and Rome. Geneva will also be expanded and further investment is planned in San Francisco, Chicago, Johannesburg and Manchester.”
The BA plans emerged as Delta Air Lines revealed a new five-minute helicopter transfer service between JFK and three heliports in Manhattan.
The service will be available for passengers from London, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The US carrier’s chief marketing officer, Tim Maps, said: “Our customers value speed and reliability, and so do we.
“We’re proud to be the only airline facilitating an on-demand helicopter transfer that is curated specifically for Delta customers and in line with the enhanced premium amenities and services they have come to expect from our brand.”