Triangle Trip

JFK Airport is a pretty confusing airport. Delta Airlines used to operate out of two JFK terminals: Terminal 2 and 3. With JFK Terminal 2 connected to Terminal 3 via a bridge, you always check in at Terminal 2 (see previous post for best practice). Back in February 2009, Delta started operating out of Terminal 4 for all of its JFK to LAX flights. Delta did not properly communicate the change with its customers nor did they coordinate with the Port Authority of NY & NJ to put up the proper signage (see previous post for more info).

Some time between the summer and now (I have not flown Delta from JFK to LAX since June), Delta decided to move its JFK to LAX flights from Terminal 4 to Terminal 2. Since JFK terminals repeat its gate numbers, it is very hard to identify which terminal your flight departs from when Delta operates across three terminals. Calling Delta’s customer service is no help as they are lack local knowledge. After searching through many web pages on Delta’s own website, I finally found a map explaining the gate changes to me. For my readers’ convenience, I have attached the map below.

Here are my suggestions to Delta’s team and feel free to contact us for more advice:

1.  Update Delta.com to show JFK Terminal and Gate information

2.  Tell all your JFK customers about the gate changes. I am sure Delta’s customer relationship management system has all the information.

Furthering my previous post highlighting issues with (Fly) Clear, below are two more missteps:

According (Fly) Clear, they would have Clear service at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) by winter 2009. To me, winter 2009 has come and gone. December 21, 2009 is not winter 2009, it is actually winter 2010 (just look at all the winter Olympics schedules if you do not agree). Here we are, spring 2009 and I do not see any signs of (Fly) Clear at LAX. I visited the Clear website today and noticed LAX is now off the map (not even a “coming soon” city). How can (Fly) Clear stay in business when they cannot service the second most populated city in the US.

(Fly) Clear also announced that they have launched Clear services at JFK’s terminal 4. I am a frequent flier out of JFK’s terminal 4 and only realized last week that I could use the Clear service. I have been standing on the regular line all this time because I don’t see any Clear signage. How I found out that Clear actually launched in terminal 4 was when someone cut my line last week. There is a Clear station after you pass the initial ID screening. I thought Clear was supposed to help you bypass the ID screening process as most airports have a Clear agent standing right next to the ID screening TSA agent.

If Clear executives read all my post regarding (Fly) Clear to date, their service would grow in leaps and bounces. I should send them an invoice for my consulting services.

I finally took a Delta flight from JFK to LAX since Delta’s announcement of all LAX flights departing out of Terminal 4 as opposed to the normal Terminal 2 and 3 gates. I found my experience a bit confusing for the following reasons:

1.  Poor Pre-Flight Communications – Prior to my flight to LAX, Delta did not notify that my JFK to LAX flight was departing from Terminal 4. If I was a first time Delta flyer (or anyone without a Delta Medallion profile), I would not have received the original Delta email telling me that all LAX flights were leaving from JFK’s Terminal 4 (or for some, read my previous post on Triangle Trip). Furthermore, I could have easily forgotten or never read the email.

2.  Delta’s website lack information – On Delta.com’s flight status page, only the gate information was provided (Gate 22). Gate 22 resides in Terminal 4 was no where to be found. Delta is wrong to assume its passengers know where Gate 22 is at JFK. Regardless if I was a frequent flyer or a novice, there is no way I would have known to go to Terminal 4 for Gate B22. There is actually a Gate 22 at Terminal 2 where most of Delta departure gates are located. As a matter of fact, I don’t recall Delta displaying Terminal information for any its JFK flights which was somewhat OK since Terminal 2 and 3 are linked. Regardless, the website does not provide adequate information to its travelers.

3.  Lack of signage outside the airport (JFK) – On my way to JFK Airport, the JFK Expressway does not have any signs stating Delta has departing flights from Terminal 4. The lack of signage led to my limo driver asking me several times if he was supposed to drop me off at Terminal 4 instead of Terminal 2 or 3. Delta should work with the Port of Authority of NY & NJ to address this issue ASAP.

4.  Poor signage inside the airport (JFK) – Once I arrived into Terminal 4, I do not see Delta checkin agents/kiosks or any signs that tells me where Delta’s located. I can clearly locate ticketing/checkin counters of other airlines such as TAM, Virgin America, etc. Again, Delta needs to work with JFK airport management to address this issue.

Due to the lack of pre-flight communication, inadequate information on the website and signage at JFK, I could have missed my JFK to LAX flight because I would have ended up at Terminal 2 or 3. Taking the AirTrain from Terminal 2/3 to 4 could take 20 minutes as the connection between Terminal 2 and 3 and the AirTrain station can be quite challenging, especially those passengers with bags.