New York John F. Kennedy International Airport’s management company, JFKIAT, has opened the airport’s first indoor post-security pet relief area.
In partnership with Smithtown’s Guide Dog Foundation, JFKIAT created the nearly 70sq ft pet area so passengers can relieve their guide and service dogs, emotional support animals and other travelling pets beyond the security checkpoint.
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And JFK’s first post security pet relief area opens: (from left to right) JFKITA Vice President of Operations Susana Cunha; Guide Dog Foundation’s William Krol; America’s VetDogs’ Karen Greis; JFKIAT President and CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff; JFKIAT Vice President of Aviation Planning and Facility Management Shawn Makinen and America’s VetDogs’ Kim Stasheff |
JFKIAT President and CEO Gert-Jan de Graaff said: “Terminal 4 is committed to providing its passengers with a positive travel experience. We recognise the growing presence of animals in our terminal, and the significant increase in passengers travelling with pets, and we wanted to provide owners with a convenient location to relieve their animals without having to exit the terminal.”
Guide Dog Foundation CEO Wells Jones commented: “The Guide Dog Foundation applauds JFKIAT for their dedicated efforts towards creating this new post-security pet relief area for passengers who travel with their guide or service dogs, enabling travellers to relieve their dogs without exiting security. By working collaboratively, we are ensuring that people who travel with assistance dogs have a more enjoyable and less stressful travel experience.”
Terminal 4 is home to 32 domestic and international airlines, handling more than 60,000 passengers daily. “As the premiere gateway to New York City, Terminal 4 strives to continuously enhance the passenger travel experience,” JFKIAT stated.
By August 2016, the US Department of Transportation will require all air terminals handling over 10,000 daily passengers to have a post-security pet relief area.
