AA INVEST DETAILS The British are coming,
Goodwill ambassadors, Jane Ainley, and Victoria Long, in retro
60’s BOAC uniforms Photos by Jeff Yapalater
AIRPORT VOICE, MARCH 2019 29
Retro is in! This is
evident by the recent
restoration of the
TWA terminal at JFK
Airport and by the
rebranding of British
Airways with the
painting of their Boeing
747 with the iconic look
and colors of the BOAC
livery existing before
1971. The Centennial
of the British Airways
heritage celebration
was marked by the
arrival of the aircraft to
excited plane spotters
at JFK.
The 747 is a staple aircraft
in the current fl eet and it as
recently repainted with retro
look of BOAC and fl own into JFK
Airport to promote the 100th year
anniversary of the airline and to
launch new brand campaign.
This campaign includes new
advertising which lauds its new
business comfort,
the warmth of British heritage
and opens its arms welcoming the
diverse cultures wanting to fl y to
London from NY. Representatives
from the BA Heritage museum
hosted an event featuring late
1060’ memorabilia, recreated
vinyl British Airways tote bags,
and shared the fresh look of the
marketing campaign. Guests were
given the opportunity to actually
watch the “Queen of the Skies”
747 taxi to the gat and partake in
the arrival excitement.
This particular 747 will
continue to fl y until the whole
fl eet transitions to the new Boeing
777s and Dreamliners. But in
the meanwhile, many veteran
travelers remember the thrill
and amenities that the original
747 offered to passengers, and
related this to the same feeling of
the BA Concorde.
British Airways has launched a new
section of its website to help customers
change their bookings and fi nd out
more about their consumer rights if
their journey is disrupted.
The online help centre is part of
BA’s wider £6.5 billion investment in
customer services, which has so far
seen the airline announce a move to
Terminal 8 at New York JFK airport
in 2022, a selection of new routes, new
lounges and new aircraft, as well as infl
ight wifi .
The new section of the site will
assist customers with managing
their booking, re-booking, refunding
or changing their fl ights. It will also
link travellers to specifi c customer
relations teams who can help them
request special assistance, claim
compensation, locate their bags, or
apply for reimbursement if they’ve
paid extra to reserve special meals or
seating.
BA says the site will speed up
resolution time by immediately
connecting passengers with the
correct department for their request
rather than contacting the general
customer relations team.
American Airlines has taken VIP
customers to new heights with the
introdution of partnership with Blade
Helicopters. This “Five Star Service”
service will offer well-heeled passenges
the option of taking a helicopter from
Manhattan to the FBO at JFK Airport
where an AA car will be waiting to
shuttle the VIP directly to an unique
entrace for expedited boarding. The
cost? $1600.
AA is notnew to VIP service as
it offers curb throuh gate treatment
through its existing Five Star Service
which begins at about $250 at JFK
Airport expeditong through security
through Terminal 8. AA is the only
airline offering hhelipad-to-gate
service through its program. Delta
has its own “Select” VIP service
which it charges many fl iers except
the most top echelon and they too are
handled separately from the rest of
the passengers. Terminal One has a
VIP service that is available once a
passenger enters the airport which
takes them through expedited security
andto a gate or the lounge. Price bagins
at aboyt $400.
The meet and greet business at the
area airports has been a contested
environment with many private
lcmpanies teaming uo with legitimate
limo companies to provide a VIP
service. Ther are less expensive meet
AN AEROSPATIALE HELICOTER LANDS AT
SHELTAIR AVIATION AT JFK AIRPORT.
and greet limo services which have
their ecorts standifgn with customer
name signs as arrivals or have their
VIP escorted from the curb-to-the
ticket counter where the VIP is then
handed off to an airline staff person
who hopeful will expedited entry
through security to a lounge or gate.
The AA service, is currently
limited to NYC and L.A. The Blade
service can be booked both to or from
the airport. If you at LAXthere’s also
the option for access to The Private
Suite at LAX, which AA bills as “a
new terminal designed for fi rst and
business class travelers seeking the
highest convenience, privacy, and
luxury.
BY JEFF YAPALATER
Governor Cuomo’s offi ce announced
a new investment, expansion and
lease plan by American Airlines (AA)
Terminal 8, at JFK Airport which
includes British Airways and Iberia
to vacate Terminal 7 and move into
Terminal 8.
AA Terminal 8 is the third
terminal in the overall JFK Airport
“Reimagined” redevelopment plan.
In October both JetBlue, and
Terminal One along with their
individual investors announced two
developments totalling $13 billion
dollars. The AA program is smaller
in scope but it the third piece in a
yet undetermined number in the
redevelopment of the airport. The
TWA Hotel was the fi rst non-terminal
development which is set to open for
business in May of this year. Yet to be
fi nalized are plans for a Central Mall,
and growth of JFKIAT T4.
At the recent Port Authority
Board meeting in February 14th, Port
Authority Chief Development Offi cer,
Derek Utter presented the Board with
the proposal. $344 million investment
by American Airlines and British
Airways,$319 million for expansion of
Terminal 8 (originally built in 2005)
and airside improvements; $25 million
for renovation of bathrooms and other
customer service improvements; no
Port Authority funding; no extension
of lease term (expires 12/31/36);the
investment will create more than 500
direct jobs and more than 750 total
jobs.
Improvements: adds 2 new widebody
gates; modifi es existing gates to allow
for additional widebody fl ights; paves
a portion of “Parcel M” to create 3
new hardstands with an associated
taxi lane to improve gate utilization
space; adds 70,400 SF to terminal
and refurbishes another 57,500 SF;
reconfi gures the check-in lobby to
increase capacity by 25 percent;
improves baggage handling system
and adds 25% capacity to international
bag claim; renovates existing Terminal
8 bathrooms; expands 4th level lounge
complex to create joint American
Airlines/British Airways premium
lounges; increase the passengers
travel fl exibility with 14 daily fl ights
to London from the same terminal.
Timeline for the planned activity;
board approval of Terminal
8 lease amendment; Terminal 8
Environmental review 2019; Terminal
8 Construction completed late 2022.
The British are coming
American Air MeetGreet
British Air online booking
$344 million at JFK Airport
(Center) Head of Brand and Marketing Hamish
McVey, with (left) Bryan and (right) Jim Davies
of the British Airways Speedbird Heritage Center
exhibiting a table of memorbilia for the BOAC 747.
The retro 747 BOAC livery arrives at JFK Airport for
the British Airways Centennial celebration.