Vacationers might want to wait a bit of bit longer to get pleasure from Newark’s beautiful new Terminal A.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees Newark Liberty Worldwide Airport (EWR), introduced on Monday that it was delaying the opening of the brand new $2.7 billion facility.
The 1-million-square-foot terminal, which was initially slated to open on Thursday, Dec. 8, will now welcome flyers starting early subsequent yr. The delay was blamed on some last-minute operational readiness assessments associated to the power’s hearth alarms and safety techniques.
Whereas these techniques are anticipated to be operational in a matter of days, the Port Authority‘s airline companions determined they didn’t wish to open a brand new facility simply days earlier than what’s anticipated to be one of many busiest vacation journey seasons on report.
So, as an alternative of pushing the opening by per week or two, the Port Authority will transfer the opening to early January 2023.
In a press release, the company’s director of company communications Thomas Pietrykoski shared that “whereas we had focused the beginning of passenger operations at Newark’s new Terminal A for December eighth, the fireplace alarm and safety techniques have but to cross their closing assessments. We anticipate these points to be resolved shortly. In response to issues expressed by airways about opening a brand-new facility in the course of the peak vacation journey interval, the Port Authority will open the brand new Terminal A to the general public in early January.”
The terminal has been within the works since 2018, and it ushers in a brand new period for the airport that’s traditionally been regarded one of many worst within the nation. It spells maybe the most important passenger-facing improve but for Newark, and it’ll be an enormous enchancment in comparison with the outdated Terminal A, which is able to shut along with the opening of the brand new facility.
In fact, vacationers passing via the airport within the coming weeks might have been excited to take a look at the brand new facility, however the roughly month-long delay should not have a lot, if any, impression on operations, particularly contemplating that no airline had already moved into the brand new terminal.
When it opens, Air Canada, American Airways, JetBlue Airways and United Airways (solely choose flights) will function from the brand new Terminal A. Delta Air Strains plans to maneuver into the brand new terminal when the second section of building opens subsequent yr.
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Regardless of the delay, vacationers ought to positively be counting down the times till the brand new facility opens. That is as a result of it brings a slew of upgrades to the passenger expertise.
This consists of an overhauled and modernized check-in expertise with centralized safety, new spacious gate areas and different world-class facilities, corresponding to attractive artwork shows and a number of energy shops at every seat, which is able to make transiting via Newark considerably extra comfy and environment friendly.
You should definitely try TPG’s detailed first-look evaluation for a deep dive into all of the upgrades.
