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Two international carriers – Air Europa and XL Airways France – are joining the roster of more than 35 international and domestic airlines at John F. Kennedy International Airport Terminal 4, it was announced by JFK IAT LLC, the private venture that operates the terminal. Terminal 4 is one of the city’s busiest terminals serving over nine million passengers annually.
The carriers offer travelers direct, non-stop flight options to Madrid and Paris, for the benefit of summer travelers.
Air Europa’s transatlantic service began June 1 and operates daily between New York and Madrid-Barajas Airport. The Airbus A330-200 accommodates nearly 300 passengers.
XL Airways France, which began service on June 26, offers flights on Mondays and Fridays between New York and Charles de Gaulle Airport on an A330 which holds approximately 350 passengers. The summer service will continue through September 14.
“Both carriers are well known to European passengers for their expansive network of flights from their home market to tourist destinations worldwide, and their entry into the New York market is bound to be a success,” said Janice Holden, chief commercial officer of JFK IAT, LLC, the company that operates Terminal 4. “Now, Europe-bound passengers can take advantage of some very well-priced fares."
Laurent Magnin, XL Airways France CEO added, "We hope that the addition of these flights will be the start of a long history between our company and the USA and especially with JFK IAT."
"International carriers continue to find value serving New York City and particularly Terminal 4, the city’s premier international terminal," added Ms. Holden. "The addition of prestigious airlines such as Qatar Airways, which started last fall with daily service between Doha and JFK, is a bright spot in the industry. We are finally seeing airlines opening new routes, a refreshing trend in what has been a downturn market."
Air Europa, the airline division of Globalia Corporation (the leading Tourist Services Group in Spain), is the second largest airline in Spain. The fleet, one of the most modern in Europe, consists of 42 aircraft with an average age of three years and an on-time performance of 96.4 percent. The New York – Madrid route is part of the airline’s transatlantic network that includes destinations such as Caracas, Santo Domingo, Punta Cana, Cancun, and Buenos Aires, among others. Air Europa is an Associate Member of the SkyTeam Alliance and Air Europa’s frequent flyer program, Flying Blue, in collaboration with Air France and KLM, is the biggest program in Europe.
XL Airways France is a French airline company. Its fleet is made up of two Airbus A330, three Airbus A320 and one Boeing 737-800. XL Airways France regularly serves the Mediterranean basin, popular long-haul destinations the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Cuba, the Maldives, Thailand and the Bahamas. Chaired by Laurent Magnin who is also Managing Director, XL Airways France is a limited company with a board of directors with a capital of EUR 22 million. XL Airways France is the first French long-haul company to have obtained the label “Horizon Assess Air” for the transparency of company information, the quality of its services and the safety of its lines.
JFK IAT is the only privatized, non-airline management company to operate a terminal at a major U.S. international airport. Together with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, it is a model for public-private partnership.
Terminal 4, the 1.5-million-square-foot facility at John F. Kennedy International Airport opened in May 2001 and has an annual passenger volume of nine million air travelers. Terminal 4 is one of the largest terminals in the New York area serving 35 international and domestic airlines, and it is the only air terminal operated by a private, non-airline company.
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