Last JFK GM for the year
AIRPORT VOICE, DECEMBER 2020 9
2020 milestones at JFK Airport
The last JFK Stakeholders
General Manager meeting
of 2020 reviewed the
milestones of the airport in
2020. Despite the pandemic,
the airport was very busy
with everyday activities,
health and safety initiatives,
nuts and bolts maintenance
and operations and
with the completion of integrating
the AOC and EOC,
AirTrain improvements,
TSA inspection initiatives,
increased electrifi cation
with new Port airport buses
and kudos were given to all
that have worked hard during
the Covid crisis to come
to work and keep the airport
transportation working.
The question arose of
whether Port will mandate
all employees or workers to
take the vaccine. Discussion
about this distribution and
workers safety is underway
according the Port. Port also
said that there are considerations
for parking for cold
storage “reefer” trucks for
vaccine distribution should
the need as part of a priority
to get through the pandemic
according to Interim Deputy
GM Theresa Rizzuto
Reports from the
GM:
-Airport safety encourages
all that use decorations
to be aware of the
possible hazards of wiring,
outlets and type of decorations
used.
-The FAA reported that
there are between 400-500
fl ights per day over the past
month compared to an average
of 1200 in 2019.
-CBP reports about 6000
international travelers a
day the past month compared
to about 45,000 the
same time last year. CBP
has been in talks and ready
to work with the vaccine
manufacturers when and
if they use JFK. They are
keeping a eye out for counterfeit
vaccines in mail and
cargo facilities.
-CDC said that LGA Test
and Trace covid testing is
doing rapid testing. Nothing
yet at JFK by Terminal 5.
TSA-There are a small
number of employee quarantine
due to exposure to
the covid virus. Numbers
are very low so not to impact
operations. Companies
are asked to share emergency
shipments of medication
so TSA can clear
quickly. There is a new procedure
at cargo facilities
which requires greater admittance
security and increased
space for cargo.
-PAPD reports larceny
and violent crime very low.
Rental car companies cautioned
to not leave keys in
the cars so the cars won’t be
stolen. There are consistent
efforts to minimize hustlers
offering rides to unsuspecting
travelers. The is also increased
police presence in
baggage and cargo areas to
reduce theft.
-Port- John Arancio detailed
successful events in
2020: A successful full-scale
security exercise, installation
of full virtual camera
feed through the airport,
implementation of PARCS
system for the parking lots
with online booking, the
airport ACI accreditation,
completion of AOC/EOC facilities,
the over arching
covid arrival and terminal
health and safety programs,
and additional new electric
buses reducing greehhouse
gases 21% over 2019, run
around LGA and ABM managed
by ABM.
-Physical plant saw the
installation of a new airport
transformer, pothole
and repaving repairs, electric
charging stations for
cars and buses, establishing
of covid testing centers in
several areas in the airport,
and taxiway repairs.
-AirTrain reports the installation
of CCTV cameras,
increase of sanitizing stations,
new signage and public
announcements on train
arrivals, station countdown
clocks, upgraded platform
doors, track repairs and
third rail improvements for
better sustainability.
-Security-completion of
the renovation of the ID offi
ce, improved effi ciency of
computer based training
and effi ciency of the badging
offi ce were milestones for
2020. Moving forward the
guardposts will have a revised
procedure requiring
new paperwork, and use of
safety cones to eliminate
piggy back driving. The
$100 security ID will not be
paid if a returned card is expired.