A moving walkway has been ripped out of American Airlines terminal 8 at New York JFK. That’s going to make the long walks to some of the C gates feel even longer. But it’s also going to make you spend more money at the shops along the way – and that’s why they’ve done it.
In 2021 American Airlines put out a request for proposals for a new New York JFK Terminal 8 concessions program.
This is a major undertaking. In 2019, before the JetBlue partnership and when American was squatting on slots and had partially abandoned the New York market, sales in the terminal were $107.4 million across 21 food and beverage, 3 duty free, 12 specialty retail, 4 currency exchange and 8 travel essential outlets.
Come July 2023 they announced the selection of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. This was described as a two-year project.
Now, I haven’t been through T8 since last month but I’d have expected more work to have been done already! Mostly, we’ve just seen the loss of Bobby Van’s Steakhouse leaving probably the most decent food option in the terminal as the New York Deli on the midfield concourse.
Former Priority Pass Restaurant Bobby Van’s
New York Deli which was once Brooklyn Deli
However, one notable change that’s taken place is the removal of moving walkways between Gates 40 and 38 as part of this concessions project. In its place there’s now tables, single seats, bench seats, and nearly all of these have power outlets.
Fortunately the other moving walkway out to the end of the concourse is still there.
We’ve seen moving walkways removed at DFW (D terminal) and O’Hare because people taking those walkways bypass shops along the way. An American Airlines spokesperson offers,
The removal of the walkways between Gates 38 and 40 are part of the $125 million commercial redevelopment program at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Terminal 8.
In partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, work is progressing on the $125 million commercial redevelopment program at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Terminal 8, with a majority of construction to be completed by the end of this year.
The more revenue those shops makes, the more an airport (or, in this case since American controls the terminal, they) can charge in rent. And deals are generally structured so that the terminal owner takes a percentage of revenue as well.
Passengers are not an airport’s customer, they’re the product an airport and airline sells to merchants who rent space inside the terminal. Long walks are frequently designed to accommodate more shopping, with more retail space in the terminal. And airports don’t want passengers skipping the shops!
Dallas spent one million dollars to remove a moving walkway. And these assist passengers in their journey and speed up travel in the terminal which reduces the risk of passengers missing flights!
You’ll frequently see international airports that route you through duty free on the way to your gate, forcing you to take a circuitous route. Sydney’s airport is famous for this, and so is London Heathrow. In fact, British Airways reportedly pays Heathrow £1 million per year to have a door immediately past security on the right that allows first class passengers direct access into the Concorde Room lounge rather than having to be routed the long way through the shops.
Ultimately though the purpose of an airport is to get somewhere quickly. You want an airport that you can get to quickly, get through security quickly, and get to your gate quickly. Moving walkways speed this, but run counter to their other purpose which is high end retail.
PONY pulled the same stunt for the LGA redo. to force passengers through the stores. Many other airports (especially International) do this so no reason to lay the blame on AA. PONY probably put the entire moving sidewalks cost on AA, so they passed. Doubt AA had anything to do with this
So. Purposefully DO NOT stop in anyone’s shop. Make it a shop boycott area. I mean, I’m not in the airport to shop for overpriced junk. I’m getting to my gate so I can go somewhere more meaningful that an airport tourist trap.
my airport goal is get to the gate. shopping is last thing on the mind. I’m past the traveling with small children stage, but these were really useful then.
No one thought that the reason might be because they don’t have any good stores, go look at the stores delta has.
This is infuriating! Makes me hate AA management even more.
Welcome to United AL in SFO. In it’s wisdom (or sheer stupidity) to expand, it eliminated the ppl walker and now they have signs on the walls letting us know, while we are gasping for air, that we are almost there.
…because why not eliminate things that actually help passengers?
Come on United, you could be better!
There is a new restaurant that replaced Bobby Vans.
Idlewild Chop Shop.
I used to travel by air several times and month. It was fun and I enjoyed shopping in the stores between flights. I even would book flights allowing enough time to visit stores that we didn’t have locally. Over the years the greed that has overtaken the airlines, the terminal owners and the business’s has made air travel a nightmare. The idea of flying anywhere is no longer an enjoyable experience much less fun. So now, instead of happily planning trips and spending a fortune on travel, my first priority is to avoid air travel at all costs. It’s a lot more fun to get creative and explore travel modes I can enjoy and find far more relaxing. It is easier on the pocketbook and allows me much more spending power in the shops along the way.
Making passengers pay for a badly designed airport just to increase sales!
The average BMI for Americans is 28 – grossly overweight and 2 points short of obese.We could all use to walk more – and hold the Cinnabon or whatever unhealthy food they’re selling.
Capitalist innovation at work
I rarely take those things, I like to walk and stretch my legs between flights.
So basically, I’ll just boycott flying. Sounds good to me.
American airports are doing their best to make sure passengers arrive at their terminals as stressed out as possible. That’s not very nice.
Some people will spend money but old people, handicapped people, people with small children will just miss flights and stop traveling. Society has gone from making good things happen and happen easier to making it all too hard. The USA is now known for total mayhem and dysfunction.
If airports want to increase concession revenues, they should work with airlines to reach a mutually beneficial compromise: allow for enough time between connecting flights so passengers can shop.
If traveling internationally, I love duty-free shopping. Otherwise, I’m not likely to buy anything in an airport other than food. While I’m not a fan of AA, I do hope the new concession outlets in Terminal 8 are successful as long as they don’t overcharge too much for whatever they’re selling. With the majority of passengers traveling for personal or leisure reasons, it’s important for airports to make it an enjoyable experience. Using the captive audience mentality to justify overcharging passengers is a great way to alienate the traveling public.
Death by a thousand paper cuts
i was in JFK 2 weeks ago (gate 1) and on my way, the concessions were customerless and I was annoyed to the point where i really don’t need this anymore
Forget any EXP loyalty, i am only flying AA when it’s convenient for me..
F*** American capitalism. Time for another revolution.
As long as people buy as if they just have seen those shops, don’t blame airlines. I watched them to pay 3X prices. Another one AA flight attendants selling food onboard and people are buying lime crazy in a short domestic flights. Amazing!
Probably makes 40 metric tons of co2 and costs $10k
Each year
Akin to some large retail stores, ie IKEA, that essentially force a customer to walk a circuitous maze to simply exit its store. But it works, as we merrily walk along spending our money along the way.
For those of us who are older and mobility challenged, the long walks shlepping luggage can be a real problem. I’ve never done it yet but I’m going to start using those people carriers that are continually tooting their horns.
I found the long walk at IKEA annoying so I have limited my trips there to things I could not find at a reasonable price elsewhere. It has been one or two decades since I have been there. At airports I don’t have a similar choice. If I want to fly, which I do, I have to put up with the circus.