Delta Plans to Upgrade Its Facilities at JFK

By | June 15, 2010

While the Port Authority makes plans to demolish Terminal 6, Delta is looking to upgrade its facility. The Wall Street Journal reports that Delta might announce a definitive plan for its future at JFK airport.

We’ve been down this road many times before. Delta has discussed this matter before. An announcement now, according to Delta President Ed Bastian, will come within two months.


DC-8 at Worldport - PANYNJ

The Worldport opened as the Pan Am Terminal in 1960. In 1971, it was expanded and given the name Worldport. Delta Air Lines purchased the terminal in 1991, and threatened to demolish it several times since. The terminal is best known for its gigantic road roof, which was originally designed to allow the parking of aircraft under the overhang.

The Beatles arrived at the terminal. We spent hours there. We’re not as attached to the box-like Terminal 2, which is visually uninteresting, but we can see the problems with the building, which was designed in a different era.

Both buildings predate the need for modern security checkpoints, which is a significant problem. They were forced to partition the building with security walls to accommodate this. So, perhaps a clean slate is needed.

Construction could easily begin on an expansion to the International Arrivals Terminal on the Delta side. The concourse could be expanded to add gates. Delta already uses gates in the building. Perhaps they could use Terminal 6 for a while as they reconstruct their operations, saving it from demolition at this time, another unfortunately casualty of history.

We look forward to seeing what the plan is. Until then, we will muddle on.

View of Worldport - PANYNJ