American Airlines and British Airways are set to become “roommates,” as their chief executives have called it, moving into the same terminal at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport for the first time, starting Thursday.
The two carriers are among the closest partners in the transatlantic market, with passengers often connecting with each other on multi-leg international journeys. Taken together, AA and BA operate an almost hourly service between JFK and London most days.
Executives and elected officials say the move, part of a larger overhaul at JFK, will make things easier for customers of both airlines and also for many of their partners.
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What can travelers expect?
American Airlines and British Airways jointly invested $400 million to expand JFK’s Terminal 8 and make this colocation possible. According to US CEO Robert Isom, the changes are about improving the customer experience.
Both airlines want to “make sure we can provide seamless service for customers who want to transit through JFK to anywhere in the world,” he said during a ribbon-cutting event for the revamped terminal on Tuesday. Bringing the airlines under one roof, he said, will result in “reduced connection times, faster security checks and an improved, personalized and seamless travel experience overall”.
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British Airways has been using Terminal 7 at JFK since 1970. BA and AA were partners through oneworld alliance since 1999 and joint venture partners since 2010. These close ties have given passengers more options for connecting itineraries at their hubs, but the separate terminals at JFK have also meant that their customers have always needed to change buildings and pass through security again to make connections between the two.
This particular headache will soon be alleviated.
“It’s all about treating our customers as one customer and making the connection, the check-in experience and the lounge experience as consistent and seamless as possible, so this is the beginning of a new chapter of deeper integration with American Airlines.” Sean, CEO of British Airways. Doyle said at Terminal 8 on Tuesday.
What other changes are coming at JFK?
Eventually, Terminal 7 will be torn down and a new Terminal 6 will be built in its place. Terminal 1 is also being redeveloped, and airlines will continue to mix during construction.
Spanish airline Iberia will join AA and BA in Terminal 8 on Thursday as well, and Japan Airlines will move there next year, according to press conferences on Tuesday.
JetBlue, another American Airlines partner at JFK, has no plans to move from Terminal 5, but Isom said there is efficient bus service for customers transferring between the two airlines.
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Will premium passengers get new benefits?
As part of the terminal renovation, two new lounges are opening in Terminal 8 and a third is being rebranded to help airlines further integrate their ground experiences.
The world-class Chelsea Lounge features a fire pit, champagne bar and a la carte dining and is available to select flagship travelers and ConciergeKey members on select American Airlines itineraries and to British Airways customers with Concorde room access.
The larger Soho Lounge has floor-to-ceiling windows and a cocktail bar and, like the Chelsea, offers guests the option of a private shower before or after their flight. American Airlines Executive Platinum and Platinum Pro passengers on select flagship itineraries can enter, as can British Airways customers with First Lounge access.
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The Greenwich Lounge, formerly the Flagship First Lounge for American passengers, features a terrace bar and varied seating options and is available to American Airlines customers traveling in Flagship Business or AAdvantage Platinum members on eligible itineraries. British Airways customers with Club Lounge access will be eligible to visit Greenwich.