John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)’s New Terminal One Project (NTO) has launched a new pre-production center in Bohemia, New York. Located near Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP), the pre-production space is hosted by Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) systems provider SITA and the NTO Master Systems Integrator (MSI) Alliance. NTO accounts for $9.5 billion of the $19 billion JFK redevelopment and is slated to open in 2026.
The pre-production facility will allow SITA and other NTO MSI Alliance stakeholders to build and test new passenger-facing and internal systems without disruption, said Ricardo Pinillos, NTO project management office and Ferrovial Construction project executive. “In order to guarantee and to provide a seamless passenger experience and efficient airport operations, all of these systems need to work together and sync like an orchestra,” he said.“We have different vendors working in the same place, which provides real-time interaction and enables them to troubleshoot any issue they can encounter along the way and at the same time it enables us to provide the feedback that they need to configure the systems ahead of time.”
The pre-production building houses a suite of new and updated technology being tested for implementation in the new terminal, including biometrics-powered check-in and security e-gates; ADA compliant check-in and baggage facilities designed to be accommodating for both passengers and agents with disabilities; a virtual apron control room designed to more accurately display aircraft movements and streamline communication between the terminal and ATC; adaptive runway lighting; an automated docking system for aircrafts; energy-saving lighting; and emissions and energy monitoring systems.
“The work going on here at the New Terminal One’s pre-production center will play an important role in achieving the Port Authority’s goal of transforming JFK into one of the world’s great new global gateways, and ensuring that the New Terminal One is one of the top terminals in the world,” said Hersh Parekh, deputy chief of intergovernmental affairs at PANYNJ.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about the people that are coming to JFK,” added Corey Stutz, director of segment marketing at MSI Alliance partner ADB SAFEGATE. “We want their check-in to takeoff experience to be seamless, to be stress-free, and, to be honest, to be a little bit more enjoyable along the way. The journey doesn’t always have to be about the destination,” said Stutz. “It can be about unforgettable moments along the way. This technology is exciting stuff and it can be part of that memory.”
