American Airlines Cuts JFK Moving Walkway — Because You Spend More When You Struggle - View from the Wing

Apr 04, 2025

by Gary Leff on March 29, 2025

A moving walkway has been ripped out of American Airlines terminal 8 at New York JFK. That’s going to make the long walks to some of the C gates feel even longer. But it’s also going to make you spend more money at the shops along the way – and that’s why they’ve done it.

In 2021 American Airlines put out a request for proposals for a new New York JFK Terminal 8 concessions program.

This is a major undertaking. In 2019, before the JetBlue partnership and when American was squatting on slots and had partially abandoned the New York market, sales in the terminal were $107.4 million across 21 food and beverage, 3 duty free, 12 specialty retail, 4 currency exchange and 8 travel essential outlets.

Come July 2023 they announced the selection of Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield. This was described as a two-year project.

Now, I haven’t been through T8 since last month but I’d have expected more work to have been done already! Mostly, we’ve just seen the loss of Bobby Van’s Steakhouse leaving probably the most decent food option in the terminal as the New York Deli on the midfield concourse.

Former Priority Pass Restaurant Bobby Van’s

New York Deli which was once Brooklyn Deli

However, one notable change that’s taken place is the removal of moving walkways between Gates 40 and 38 as part of this concessions project. In its place there’s now tables, single seats, bench seats, and nearly all of these have power outlets.

Fortunately the other moving walkway out to the end of the concourse is still there.

We’ve seen moving walkways removed at DFW (D terminal) and O’Hare because people taking those walkways bypass shops along the way. An American Airlines spokesperson offers,

The removal of the walkways between Gates 38 and 40 are part of the $125 million commercial redevelopment program at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Terminal 8.

In partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, work is progressing on the $125 million commercial redevelopment program at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Terminal 8, with a majority of construction to be completed by the end of this year.

The more revenue those shops makes, the more an airport (or, in this case since American controls the terminal, they) can charge in rent. And deals are generally structured so that the terminal owner takes a percentage of revenue as well.

Passengers are not an airport’s customer, they’re the product an airport and airline sells to merchants who rent space inside the terminal. Long walks are frequently designed to accommodate more shopping, with more retail space in the terminal. And airports don’t want passengers skipping the shops!

Dallas spent one million dollars to remove a moving walkway. And these assist passengers in their journey and speed up travel in the terminal which reduces the risk of passengers missing flights!

You’ll frequently see international airports that route you through duty free on the way to your gate, forcing you to take a circuitous route. Sydney’s airport is famous for this, and so is London Heathrow. In fact, British Airways reportedly pays Heathrow £1 million per year to have a door immediately past security on the right that allows first class passengers direct access into the Concorde Room lounge rather than having to be routed the long way through the shops.

Ultimately though the purpose of an airport is to get somewhere quickly. You want an airport that you can get to quickly, get through security quickly, and get to your gate quickly. Moving walkways speed this, but run counter to their other purpose which is high end retail.

76 Comments