The AirTrain to JFK Airport has been one of the city’s overlooked transit lines, functional but less than sexy, until this past weekend, as the Trump administration’s immigration orders spurred protests and activism at the country’s airports. Fort a short time, the AirTrain was shut down by the Port Authority, citing overcrowding issues, until Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered the agency to reverse the decision, stating, “One of the fundamental rights that is granted to the people of this country is the right to peacefully protest. I have ordered the Port Authority to reverse its decision regarding the JFK AirTrain…The people of New York will have their voices heard.”
While the AirTrain had its fifteen minutes of fame, we’ve been rather obsessed with the transportation line for some time and thought it was appropriate time to share some of our favorite sights to see while taking a ride:
1. The Abandoned Hotel Inside JFK Airport
While aboard the AirTrain, one of the haunting sights you will see is an abandoned hotel just before arriving at Federal Circle Station. The building was most recently a Ramada hotel (before that, a Travelodge) and was nicknamed “Heartbreak Hotel” because of its noble service to the families of people who were victims of plane crashes, including TWA Flight 800 in 1996, SwissAir flight 111 in 1998, EgyptAir flight 990 in 1999, and American Airlines flight 587 in 2001. Citing a need for cost savings and renovation at the site, the Port Authority closed the Ramada in 2009. In 2014, it was reported that labor issues had stalled plans to redevelop the hotel but elsewhere on the JFK Airport property the conversion of the former TWA Flight Center into a hotel is now underway.