|
 JetBlue broke ground on the extension to its world class home at John F. Kennedy's Terminal 5 to pave the way for an international arrivals facility. Set to open in early 2015, the thoughtfully-designed space includes six international arrivals gates - three new and three converted from Terminal 5 - and an International Arrivals Hall with full U.S. Custom and Federal Inspection Services (FIS) to deliver a seamless travel experience for customers arriving from international flights on JetBlue and select partner airlines.
JetBlue's President and CEO Dave Barger along with the airline's executives and crewmembers joined Homeland Security Chairman Peter King; Queens Borough President Helen Marshall; City Council Member Jimmy Van Bramer; U.S. Custom and Border Protection JFK Port Director Susan Mitchell; Port Authority of New York and New Jersey's Aviation Director Susan Baer; and representatives from the JFK airport community to commemorate the announcement. Business partners working jointly with JetBlue on the project, including Gensler, Ammann & Whitney, Arup, AECOM, Gleeds USA, Turner Construction, were also on hand.
Event attendees enjoyed New York centric treats including fresh waffles courtesy of Wafels & Dinges famed local food cart and I HEART NEW YORK co-branded cookies from the airline's neighbor in Long Island City, Baking For Good, which donates 15 percent of all net proceeds to charitable causes. Guests also enjoyed a first look at renderings of the new international arrivals terminal procured by the airline's design architect partner Gensler.
"Today is truly a groundbreaking day for JetBlue as we begin work on our international arrivals terminal at T5," said JetBlue President and CEO, Dave Barger. "We're excited to work with all of our partners at JFK and beyond to move forward with this project which, when completed, will make all domestic and international operations seamless and convenient for our customers and consolidate our flight operations under one roof."
Some highlights of the international arrivals terminal extension include:
• A design created by Gensler that mirrors the existing Terminal 5's bright and friendly look and feel, supportive of JetBlue's brand aesthetic and the company's commitment to bringing humanity back to air travel
• An overall constructed area of approximately 150,000 square feet
• Two additional baggage claim belts and a U.S. Custom and Border Protection, Federal Inspection Service (FIS) facility designed to accommodate up to 1,200 customers per hour
• International Arrivals hall space featuring glass walls that allow for abundant natural daylight and a design that is modern, timeless, and clean
• Sustainable sensibilities, making the most of current building technologies to reduce T5i's environmental impact throughout its lifespan
• Circulation paths designed to move customers through gates and Customs in the most efficient way possible with walking time and travel minimized
source: JetBlue
|
