What is Wrong with the AirTrain?

The JFK AirTrain has once again gone out of full service.
This time is has happened during one of the worst arctic blasts of the season leaving tens of thousands of travelers cold and frustrated.

 According to an AirTrain spokesperson, a fire destroyed the fiber optic network that connects the whole system. 
As a result, the entire AirTrain network has been compromised with on and off again partial service between the Federal Circle Station and both lines to Howard Beach and Jamaica Station. This is the case today, Saturday Jan. 25^th.

Shuttle buses have been deployed to handle the human traffic from the terminals to Federal Circle. Unfortunately the whole operation is not running well from my point of view. I speak English and have an understanding of the AirTrain service. But even I had a lot of difficulty navigating where the buses were at each terminal, where they were going and when. I saw so many frustrated travelers from around the world standing in the freezing cold at bus stops wondering how to get to their connection, Jamaica Station or long term parking. For example women in wheelchairs and sandals were shivering at a bus stop waiting for a bus. They had no idea they would be out in the cold or cold shelter waiting for 15 minutes at times for the right transport.

The drivers of the buses have little knowledge and can’t, in many cases, even give proper destination information to the passengers. People poke their heads in and ask without any good response. The buses are so full that the drivers can’t see in the rear. They tell would be passengers that the bus is full yet the rear in emptying and room is available for many people.

Some of the dispatchers I saw at the terminals had no idea when the next bus was coming; some gave me the wrong side of the building and some buses just pulled in somewhere and travelers had to run to just ask where the bus was heading.
 I have to say it is a difficult situation but this is nothing new. The logistics of this should be in place for a smooth, orderly informative transit to all who need to get to, move around and leave JFK Airport.

On another note, given the frequent maintenance of the AirTrain and inconvenience to so many travelers, have we been given the best possible repair and maintenance by the manufacturer? We were promised a smooth winter service earlier when the system was shut down for ongoing maintenance geared to minimize winter issues.
We have major terminal modernization in the wings for LGA and T4. Maybe some of this money should be used to beef up the reliability of the AirTrain?

This information will not doubt change as the repairs continue. 

Go to this website for whatever information is current http://www.panynj.gov/

 Or subscribe to the Port Authority mobile alert-JFK Airport Info-Alert

 PS-Have to thank the workers fixing these problems with the frigid temps.

Useful #JFKAirport Links for Information

Here are a few links that I use and are excellent sources of information:

-Flightaware- http://flightaware.com/  Most accurate details of flight status for all airlines. Better than the airlines themselves. Nice visual route map as well

-Flightstats- http://www.flightstats.com/go/Home/home.do   Best source of overall picture of airports, airlines and general information. You can select by airport or specific airline by time range. Gives flight status, and gate. Note: Pay attention to Delta. Their domestic flight arrivals gates can change within a couple of hours.

-Port Authority NYNJ – http://www.panynj.gov/airports/jfk.html

Guide to JFK Airport and services nearby

-Want mobile alerts to Port Authority services?  Sign up for alerts@paalerts.com

Many airlines have their own apps for Apple and Android. These are much like regular websites with lots of unique individual airline info. You can usually sign up for flight delay alerts as well.
 
Feel free to add those that you have found helpful and share.

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