JFK Airport workers are in a frenzy, racing to secure the last remaining MetroCards to access the AirTrain at a discounted rate. The MetroCard, once a staple for airport workers, has been phased out by the MTA in favor of its new digital tap-to-pay OMNY system. However, the Port Authority, responsible for managing the city's airports, has yet to adopt this change. As a result, airport workers are left with the MetroCard as their sole means to obtain steep discounts on the otherwise costly JFK Airport fare, which would otherwise cost them $8.50 each way.
The MTA recently discontinued MetroCard vending machines at the Jamaica and Howard Beach AirTrain stations, leaving only a handful of newsstands as the primary source for purchasing 30-day MetroCards for the AirTrain, which cost $42.50, or 10-trip cards, priced at $26.50. The Port Authority, however, has no immediate plan to continue offering these discounts, leaving the 40,000 employees at JFK Airport with a daunting prospect: paying $17 per day just to ride the AirTrain to work.
In response to this crisis, the Port Authority's spokesperson, Thomas Pietrykoski, stated that they are collaborating with the MTA to implement bulk trip discounts for the JFK AirTrain on the OMNY system, matching the current MetroCard offerings. Until this solution is implemented, the Port Authority has arranged for the MTA to provide MetroCards to airport employees. Khan Suhail, a newsstand owner at the Jamaica station, has sufficient stock to last until March, after which the situation will be reassessed.
The financial burden of the AirTrain fare is particularly challenging for airline personnel and employees of airport shops and restaurants, who rely on the AirTrain discounts to commute to work. Piantonio Ventura, a JetBlue ground operations employee, expresses his frustration, stating that he cannot afford the proposed $17 daily AirTrain fare on top of the $6 subway fare. He suggests exploring alternative modes of transportation, such as buses, to reduce costs.
The Port Authority's lack of a clear plan has caused confusion, especially considering their history of mishandling the adoption of the MTA's OMNY system. In 2023, they installed OMNY readers at select AirTrain entry gates, only to discover incompatibility issues, leaving the gates open and relying on security guards to ensure fare payment. This situation highlights the need for a comprehensive strategy to address the future of the 30-day unlimited AirTrain pass, especially with the upcoming leadership change at the Port Authority, where Rick Cotton is set to retire, and Kathryn Garcia will take over as the director of state operations under Governor Kathy Hochul.
Transit advocates have urged Garcia to address this issue, emphasizing its potential impact on setting a new standard for a 30-day unlimited pass across the city's transit systems. The MTA's discontinuation of the 30-day unlimited pass option alongside the MetroCard's retirement has left them offering only a seven-day pass through the OMNY system. Lisa Daglian, executive director of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, expresses hope that this situation will prompt further discussions about the possibility of a 30-day unlimited subway or bus ticket option.
