Originally Posted by
sbm12
There isn't enough room around T2 to allow for it to get much bigger. Sure, T6 could handle the capacity and they could even run a bunch of buses between T3 and T6 while it is under construction, but they aren't going to end up with much more space in a renovated T2 so why bother?
Similarly, T3 doesn't have much room to expand because of T2 on one side and T4 on the other.
I just don't see it happening.
Pax circulation flows between T2 and T3 and into T3 from AirTrain are poor, indirect and inconvenient.
The trick is to think of the combined footprint of T2 and T3 and how to construct a new terminal with a more rational pax circulation. I've seen past plans (conceptual ones) whereby T3 is connected into T4, with the T4 western pier further extended towards Jamaica Bay--thus creating a mega T2/3/4.
During peak hours it is not uncommon to see queues just to enter T3 because of the location of security screening, the segmented ticketing and check in areas and constrained interior spaces. This is one reason why I've avoided DL out of JFK--their terminal facilities are horrid with chaos and confusion I've never seen in T1, T4, T7 and now T8. I'm sure the same can be said of T5 (but I've yet to visit since it opened).
Using T6 as swing space while T2 and T3 are sequentially demolished and rebuilt makes a certain amount of sense--assuming that flight frequencies require it.