Comments on: What’s up @ JFK in a good way?!?

By: bpresnell

bpresnell — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 03:57:56 +0000

First: JFK T2 is a great concept and choose JFK/DL for it. Nothing beats the short security line and friendly staff at the counters. (Really.. friendly staff.. how often do people say that about an airline.) I’m a recent convert from US Airways and enjoying DL tremendously.

However, I have to agree with the other posts about the multi-gates for Delta Connection. I don’t know what is going on there, but it needs fixed fast. 1) No audible announcements; 2) consistently wrong information on the message boards; 3) cantankerous staff. The ‘Breezeway’ at the gate is non-existent. (It was being used as a carpet at the exit door the last time I was there.)

Also, seating is a strange problem. I think the passengers rearrange the seats for sleeping or putting up their feet. (Okay folks, this is a RUDE behavior I wish someone would speak up about… you don’t put your shoes and feet on the seats.. it is rude and disrespectful of other passengers). Delta might want to have a regular walkthrough and either keep re-arranging the seats to provide ample room to all passengers or bolt them down to the floor.

Otherwise, the JFK terminal isn’t too tough. I’ve been in much nicer (Zurich is a very, very, very nice airport with beautiful lounges for Star Alliance preferred passengers). However, I’ve been in much worse. For being one of the busiest airports in the US, it’s pretty clean and well-run.

By: David MCN

David MCN — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 22:54:37 +0000

Delta can’t be serious about JFK. It’s a nightmare. The international departures terminal has absolutely no services whatsoever: fly Delta internationally and you will encounter: (1) a long wait outside on an interminable line, just to get INSIDE the terminal; (2) a long wait on an interminable line, while they call people who arrived late, for flights about to leave, to move to the front; and (3) no services at all – no lobby, no waiting area no water fountain, no mens room, no chairs, nothing, just security. Very hospitable, very lovely. Now check out Air France. Vive la difference!

David

By: daveoliver

daveoliver — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 04:34:54 +0000

I must say you are so right Kelley.

By: travelgallery

travelgallery — Sun, 25 Nov 2007 12:17:22 +0000

Last March, I had to fly suddenly from ALB to CVG due to a death in the family. My layoever at JFK was a disaster. Freezing cold terminal and so much construction noise that even the pub staff was having trouble being heard.

I’m well aware of the age of terminals 2 & 3 at JFK and it looks like all the racket and inconvenience was worth it. Will be going through JFK on a trip to Seattle for the holidays and will comment afterwards, but this key hub needed a lot of work.

By: optional_profile

optional_profile — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 14:08:45 +0000

Speaking of JFK, Delta could do 2 things to greatly improve the terminal like offer clean restrooms (not cleaner, just clean) and make sure the air conditioning works during the summer months. Also, when gate changes occur Delta could do a much better job of informing their customers. I go there twice a month and I’ve never left JFK on time but I can’t put that one on Delta. Compared to Atlanta, Tampa, San Diego, or Denver the JFK terminal is subpar at best. In all my travels the one time I’ve had luggage misplaced was at JFK and the attitude I got from the Delta baggage people was “Oh well, you’ll get it when we find it” with no sense of urgency whatsoever. I like the kiosk setup so I can check myself in and avoid a line.

By: aglinka

aglinka — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 16:06:54 +0000

I have to say, this premium area looks great, and is definitely nicer than the old setup at Terminal 3.

However, is there an official stance on non-Medallion/BizE/Domestic F customers using this area? Right now they can use the kiosks and the security, since there are no signs (or staff) to stop them from doing so, and I’m worried this could cause crowding during peak times if more people find out about this “loophole”, which I’ve read about on some forums.

Thanks!

-a

By: letsgotoo

letsgotoo — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 03:11:36 +0000

Well how can I follow up a experience like the last blog!
I cant. I fly 35 to 40 weeks a year mostly out of LGA. I have flow and will fly in a few weeks out of JFK again. I for one as I am one of the crazy first flight of the day kind of people really like the T2 set up. I park long term and take the extra walk to get there as I have yet to have more than 2 people in line in front of Me! yes the Building is older however as long as it is CLEAN (which it is now) and bright it helps me get to my flight just fine.
ATL is much improved as well and thinking back how did I not notice how dark both were before! SLC is also much impoved. I am a person that honestly say I am proud to choose to fly Delta and tell Fam and Friends to try them!!!!!
Keep it up!!

By: RichardSto

RichardSto — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 00:28:58 +0000

I flew from JFK to London early this month in Business Elite. We used the Business Elite lounge next to gate 14. We arrived several hours before the flight. When we arrived in the lounge, there was no food/snack available, and we had to “summon” someone to ask for something to drink. Food and snacks were made available around 5:00 p.m. We were sitting in the area that overlooks the runway. I felt a something on my foot, and when I looked down I saw a very large rat scurry across the area and head toward the wall which had several gaping holes in the drywall. When I went to report this to the attendant at the front desk, I had to interrupt her from playing solitar on her computer. While I realize the entire JFK airport appears to be under some form of construction, there is no excuse for rodents running loose in an area where food is served, muchless anywhere else in a public space. When reported to Delta at the Atlanta level, the response was obviously of concern on their part, but they did have to refer the rodent problem back to the Airport Authority which governs JFK.

By: avflyer

avflyer — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 17:13:13 +0000

I for one still like JFK and have always enjoyed the BE check in area for all flights including when BE was at T3. If you fly some, you’ll find better terminals and terminals that are a whole lot worse than JFK. Even when flying out of gate 6, the walk from T2 to T3 isn’t that bad (10 minutes or so) and if I am going to be sitting for a few hours, I generally enjoy the walk.

As a critical international hub (and becoming even stronger for DL), I for one like the Duty Free shop at JFK a whole lot more than the one in ATL. Better deals and more selection.

My one wish for the terminal at JFK would be for Delta to find a way to reopen the roof-top parking lot. I realize that this would require a security search of the vehicle but buildings in Manhattan seem to do this just fine with underground parking. I can’t imagine it being a hardship to have someone walk around the car with a mirror on a stick and check out the trunk. If you were to limit it to passenger vehicles, I think it would be great.

By: royal-jet-service

royal-jet-service — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 00:23:14 +0000

I waw just in T2 (Sept. 19) to fly JFK-SFO.

The building is one of the original JFK terminals (originally occupied by Northwest, Braniff International, and Northeast, which merged with DL in 1972). The terminal is showing its age.

You can put as much lipstick as you’d like on a pig, but the pig is still going to oink. The signage that directs people to the BE check-in (left side) and domestic premium (on the right) is easily missed. The low ceilings in the check-in areaa and poor lighting are unpleasant.

The afternoon I was there, the terminal was apparently doubling as a sauna, as it was unpleasantly warm (complete with aromas one gets in an overheated, underventilated building).

The BE lounge also has low cielings, is dark due to lakc of windows in the terminal itself, , and has furniture and fixtures that appear to date from the late 1980s/early 1990s. There is nothing sleek, contemporary, or comfortable about that room. Meanwhile, AA has unveiled its new $1B+ Taj Mahal across the field. JetBlue will open its new terminal next year. Meanwhile, Delta operates from buildings that are as outdated as the airlines that once operated from them — NE is gone, Braniff died 20 years ago, and Pan Am (Terminal 3′s original occupant) closed in 1991. Folks yu can take retro so far. It’s one thing for an airline to have “retro jets.” It’s altogether different to force your passengers and employees to endure buildings that are three to four decades old

Wallpapering the check-in area is nice, but isn’t the long-term solution to DL’s JFK situation. What’s needed is to knock down T2 and T3 and build a new single-terminal facility that meets the demands of running an airline in the 21st Century. Yes, I know that is an enormous CAPEX project, but what is the cost to DL if people avoid your airline because of the competitively inferior facilities you utilize at one of the most important US gateway airports?