Airport Experience® News - Food & Beverage Issue 2025

ONE ON ONE

LOOKING NORTH JFKIAT’s North Star Initiative Seeks To Elevate The JFK T4 Experience

BY SARAH BELING

ditor’s Note: John F. Kennedy International Airport Terminal (JFKIAT) is the operator of Terminal 4 at JFK. The private consortium has operated the terminal for more than 20 years and is currently undertaking a $1.5 billion redevelopment. Roel Huinink, president and CEO of JFKIAT, sat down with AXN’s Sarah Beling to discuss Terminal 4’s ongoing $1.5 billion redevelopment and newly announced North Star Initiative, designed to redefine T4’s customer and employee experience with a focus on service, local partnerships and innovative technology across the facility. E

BELING: What was the impetus for redesigning the T4 experience? HUININK: We’ve been operating JFK T4 since 2001 and have since expanded numerous times. In 2018 we announced a $3.8 billion investment in partnership with the Port Authority [of New York and New Jersey] , as part of its overall reimagination of JFK, but then unfortunately Covid hit. The whole industry was trying to grapple with what was going on, everybody was in survival mode. Our plan was put on ice. But during Covid, it was clear that the Port Authority wanted to further extend or implement their vision plan for JFK. As part of that, we partnered with Delta Air Lines to lead a $1.5 billion redevelopment, which consolidated Delta operations at our terminal. Back in 2021, we programmed what we call Phase 2.5, which entailed 10 narrow-body gates, and we successfully opened in January 2023. While we were doing that, we were not only expanding the infrastructure but we were also investing in upgrading the terminal infrastructure, enhancing operations and elevating the passenger experience. That included new self

service check-in technology, the look and-feel in the terminal in general, the hold areas and restrooms, and adding local art. When we were investing in all this infrastructure, we realized that we wanted to do something else – to not only focus on the physical infrastructure but also to deliver on what the Port Authority defines as a world-class airport experience. JFK is divided into several terminals with several operators. It was very important for us to look at how we distinguish ourselves from the rest in our distinctive experience as T4, in line with our airline mix and passenger profiles, because everybody [at JFK] has a different airline customer base, so every terminal is somewhat different. We did that through research and engaging in workshops with our key stakeholders, business partners and the T4 community. And as part of the whole research process and workshop process, we defined the shared vision that will impact every aspect of the T4 experience – the passenger journey, the employee experience, the commercial experience, the airline experience and the terminal ambiance as a whole.

Above: Roel Huinink, president and CEO, JFKIAT.

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AX NEWS JULY/AUGUST 2025