Delta to partner with Port Authority on LaGuardia terminal redevelopment

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Jul 21, 2016, 05:36 ET

NEW YORK, July 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey will partner to replace Terminals C and D at New York's LaGuardia Airport with a state-of-the-art facility. The project, which was approved today by PANYNJ, is part of a new lease agreement to be negotiated at the airport through 2050. The Port Authority has committed, as part of the agreement, $600 million to facilitate construction of the terminal and other supporting infrastructure.

Delta to partner with Port Authority on LaGuardia terminal redevelopment

"Replacing these outmoded terminals is a major step forward in our reimagining of LaGuardia into a 21^st-century, world-class airport worthy of the Empire State," said New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. "I thank Delta for their partnership and welcome the many visitors who will enter through their new terminals."

Vice President Joe Biden and Governor Cuomo last year introduced a plan to redesign and rebuild New York-LGA to include a new $4 billion central terminal building and a grand central hall unifying the airport's terminals. Delta has been a partner in that plan since the beginning. Like the new central terminal building, Delta's new facility will be located closer to the Grand Central Parkway, allowing for additional taxiway space and a more efficient airfield.

"Today marks another proud moment in Delta's ongoing commitment to providing an exceptional experience for New Yorkers," said Delta CEO Ed Bastian. "Our participation in this historic project builds on the more than $2 billion Delta has invested in New York over the past seven years. We are honored to be a part of Governor Cuomo's and the Port Authority's comprehensive vision for a 21st-century LaGuardia Airport, and we look forward to many exciting milestones to come."

Delta's new terminal at LGA will consist of 37 gates located on four concourses connected by a centralized check-in lobby, security checkpoint, and baggage claim. Of the 37 gates, 33 will have access to dual taxi lanes, which will greatly improve airfield efficiency, resulting in reduced taxi time to and from the gate before take-off and after landing. The construction will commence as soon as possible, following regulatory approvals and final lease negotiations.

The terminal will feature a new, larger Delta Sky Club with a Sky Deck, wider concourses, larger gate holdrooms and more seating, as well as 30 percent more concessions space than the existing Terminals C and D. The facility will also offer direct access between the parking garage and terminal, improved roadways and drop-off/pick-up areas, and a curbside check-in bypass leading directly into the security checkpoint. The design of the new terminal will integrate sustainable technologies and improvements in energy efficiency.

"On behalf of the more than 10,000 New York-based employees who are part of the fabric of this community, we take great pride in Delta's role in rebuilding one of the world's busiest and best-known airports in the city that we all call home," said Henry Kuykendall, Delta Vice President-New York.

Delta today operates a major hub at LGA, with about 275 daily departures from Terminals A, C and D.

In addition to its history of investments at LGA, Delta also opened a new, $1.2 billion Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in 2013 featuring a 24,000-square-foot flagship Delta Sky Club. This was followed by an additional $200 million investment in 2015 to add 11 more gates and 75,000 additional square feet in Terminal 4 along with a new bus station and a renovated check-in hall and concourse holdrooms at Terminal 2.

Delta is New York's largest carrier and has invested billions in New York City's airports during the past six years, leading the way in improving the traveler experience for a growing number of New York passengers – more than 27 million in 2015. The airline offers more than 500 peak-day departures to more than 130 destinations worldwide from its hubs at New York's LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport. And Delta is deeply embedded in the New York community, acting as the official airline of the Yankees, Mets, Knicks, Rangers, Madison Square Garden, Chelsea Piers, Food Bank for New York City and the Whitney Museum, with partnerships with more than 40 community organizations.

Delta Air Lines serves nearly 180 million customers each year. In 2016, Delta was named to Fortune's top 50 Most Admired Companies in addition to being named the most admired airline for the fifth time in six years. Additionally, Delta has ranked No.1 in the Business Travel News Annual Airline survey for an unprecedented five consecutive years. With an industry-leading global network, Delta and the Delta Connection carriers offer service to 337 destinations in 62 countries on six continents. Headquartered in Atlanta, Delta employs more than 80,000 employees worldwide and operates a mainline fleet of more than 800 aircraft. The airline is a founding member of the SkyTeam global alliance and participates in the industry's leading transatlantic joint venture with Air France-KLM and Alitalia as well as a joint venture with Virgin Atlantic. Including its worldwide alliance partners, Delta offers customers more than 15,000 daily flights, with key hubs and markets including Amsterdam, Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK and LaGuardia, London-Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City, Seattle and Tokyo-Narita. Delta has invested billions of dollars in airport facilities, global products and services, and technology to enhance the customer experience in the air and on the ground. Additional information is available on the Delta News Hub, as well as delta.com, Twitter @DeltaNewsHub, Google.com/+Delta, and Facebook.com/delta.