Senator Smith Announces Terminal Expansion Agreement at JFK

Terminal 4 Expansion will Create Thousands of Jobs and Provide New State-of-the Art Facility

(St. Albans, NY) Senate President Malcolm A. Smith announces an agreement between Delta Airlines, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and John F. Kennedy (JFK) Air Terminal for expansion of Terminal 4 at JFK Airport. The $1.2 Billion project will create a state-of the-art facility, creating a more pleasant experience for millions of local and international travelers.

Currently, Delta’s JFK operation employs 49,000 people in the NYC region. The Terminal 4 redevelopment project is expected to generate 10,000 jobs in the New York Metro Region by 2014.

“For more than two years I have enjoyed working with the Delta team, and I am pleased to be a part of this announcement that will make expansion at one of the most important international gateways into the United States a reality,” Senator Smith said. “I applaud Delta Airlines for adhering to the need of the community by expanding their terminal, which will result in the creation of thousands of jobs and bring billions of dollars to Queens. I would also like to commend Governor Paterson, Mayor Bloomberg, Port Authority Executive Director Chris Ward, Delta CEO Richard Anderson and Senator Shirley Huntley for their efforts in making this expansion possible.”

Delta currently operates out of Terminal 2 for its domestic flights and Terminal 3 internationally at JFK. The expansion of Terminal 4 will replace outdated facilities and expand Concourse B at Terminal 4, with the addition of nine new international gates and the construction of a connector between Terminal 2 and 4. The expansion will also include larger areas for additional baggage claims and Customs and Border protection.

Construction is scheduled to begin September 2010. Development of the first phase and full relocation of Delta’s operations to Terminal 4 is expected in May of 2013.

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