American Airlines and British Airways will invest $US344m over three years as they bring both carriers under one roof at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Terminal 8.
BA’s move from its current home in terminal 7 is due to take place in 2022 and the airlines say it will allow them to offer better service to their trans-Atlantic customers.
The investment in Terminal 8 will include the addition of five widebody gates and four adjacent widebody hard stands, enhanced baggage systems, new lounges, premium check-in space and upgraded concessions and retail options.
The airlines say the co-location will allow BA passengers arriving in New York to more conveniently connect onto other American flights while those departing The Big Apple will gain the flexibility of 14 daily flights to London departing from the same terminal.
The two have a partnership across the Atlantic that provides up to 70 flights a day between London and the United States.
“Investing in our terminal and welcoming our partners is a win-win for both customers and team members at American and British Airways,” American President Robert Isom said. “Co-locating with British Airways will allow our customers unprecedented convenience and flexibility between these two world-class cities.”
JFK has been notorious for passenger delays but authorities last year announced plans to transform the airport by adding 4 million square feet of terminal space and to boost capacity by 15 million passengers annually.
Co-location of alliance partners is a growing trend and oneworld, of which American and BA were founders, announced last week that it was boosting the number of airports at which member carriers would be housed in the one terminal.
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Key airports where colocation activities underway included Beijing Daxing, Sao Paulo, London Heathrow and Frankfurt.
“Oneworld aims to bring its member airlines operating at all airports worldwide together under one roof, to smooth transfers for passengers connecting between different carriers’ flights, wherever the opportunities are available and wherever it makes sense,” oneworld chief Rob Gurney said.
