T5 rumor
 

Oh no, rumor has it that during the press conference today at T5 JB will be announcing a delay in the October opening due to the concessions not being ready. Keeping my fingers crossed. More to follow:(

One of my coworkers was at the event. She did say that the retail area does not look like it will be ready for Oct 1 but did not say anything about a delay being announced.

On a side note, an unofficial new opening date of Oct 22 has been floating around. But I guess we'll wait and see what the official word will be.

Why those dates has been pushback to Oct. 22? :confused: I thought T5 haven't ready for opening new concessions? I am already saw some of those photos from a.net. It was fast food restaurant inside new terminal 5. This is so unbelievable brand new terminal 5. I didn't chance go to JFK recently. I thought the official dates hasn't sets opened new T5 on Oct 22 instead of Oct 1, 2008.

This is true and confirmed in our daily email. The terminal expects to be open on Oct 22, one month from our celebration yesterday.. Now I have to suffer a JFK layover on the 30th unless I can drop or swap it for another trip.

There aint much in open time! I will be in OAK on the 22nd flying the LGB redeye into IAD so i'll miss the opening ceremonies. In fact I don't touch JFK at all next month.

delays are bad for business

I don't think October 1 was an official start date. Even on T508.com it never mentions a date, it only reads October. The project was actually completed months early. JetBlue is ready but we are waiting for concessions to finish... Oh well. "Although we are completely on track with all of our work, from the baggage systems to the backroom offices, this move will allow additional time to ensure that our retail, food and beverage partners complete the work necessary to open T5 with all Customer service elements in place."

well initially it was end of September, even on the web site if I remember correctly... right?

Opening a new terminal with no concessions would be worse for business, I imagine.

Flight delays are bad for business. Delays in opening a pretty, new terminal, while disappointing, aren't going to send passengers flocking to other airlines with outdated terminals.

Although I am disappointed, the 22nd is ok by me. I fly through JFK on the 23rd and will have a 4 hour 45 min layover, so lots of time to explore! :-)

Why these date has been changed from Oct 1 to Oct 22? I know terminal 5 isn't ready for opening new restaurant or whatever. I think you should have rebooked next avaiable trip out from JFK. Its will be guaranteed from JetBlue will have reissued the ticket for future trip. Hopefully if you will have fully refundable the money back. I will try to find out more new information at T5 sometimes in couple weeks. I let you know soon as possible.

with the amount of media attention given to the T5 opening on the 1st as announced by the CEO will probably put a negative spin on the idea of the terminal opening delay which will further point the spotlight on the other company shortcomings like the frequent flight delays

There are terminals throughout the country and the world for that matter, with construction sites for individual vendors. I think JetBlue could have opened its terminal as scheduled and put some pressue on the vendors to finalize construction in a timely fashion. Not all the vendors I'd imagine are significantly behind, are they?

Although I'm dissapointed we're not going to make the Oct 1st date, I agree with JB on this one. I've been inside the terminal and without all the vendors and until all the construction noise/mess is gone, it just won't give our customers the wow factor that T5 has. So we'll see you Oct 22nd instead:p

When the CEO of the company appears on a national news program and states a date that is a pretty official announcement in my book. And when they have to make further announcements that it has been delayed that is further evidence that the announcement was official.

Waiting to have the terminal and all vendors fully functional makes more sense than opening it with problems. And unlike the BA/LHR T5 this change doesn't start a flow of actions that affect almost every other airline operating at the airport, so the 3 extra weeks doesn't really hurt anyone or anything.