The race is on for JFK airport employees to secure the last MetroCards, offering a lifeline for their daily commute. With the MetroCard's days numbered, workers are scrambling to get their hands on this valuable ticket, which provides a substantial discount on the AirTrain fare.
The New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has phased out the traditional MetroCard, introducing the OMNY digital payment system. However, the Port Authority, responsible for managing the city's airports, has yet to catch up with this transition. As a result, the MetroCard remains the sole means for airport staff to access discounted rates for the AirTrain, which would otherwise cost a hefty $8.50 each way.
In a recent development, the MTA removed its MetroCard vending machines from the Jamaica and Howard Beach AirTrain stations, leaving a few newsstands as the only remaining sources for airport workers to purchase the 30-day MetroCards ($42.50) or 10-trip cards ($26.50). But time is ticking, and the Port Authority has no clear plan to maintain these discounts once MetroCards are fully discontinued.
And this is where it gets tricky: If the Port Authority fails to find a solution, approximately 40,000 JFK employees will face a daily commute cost of $17 just for the AirTrain. That's a significant financial burden for many workers, who already pay for other transportation to reach the airport.
A spokesperson for the Port Authority, Thomas Pietrykoski, assured that they are working with the MTA to implement bulk trip discounts on OMNY, matching the MetroCard's current offerings. In the meantime, they have arranged with the MTA to keep MetroCards available for airport employees.
Newsstand owner Khan Suhail, located at the Jamaica station, has a limited stock of 30-day and 10-trip AirTrain MetroCards, which he expects to last until March. After that, the future is uncertain.
Piantonio Ventura, a JetBlue ground operations employee, commutes daily from Manhattan to JFK. He expressed his dismay at the potential $17 AirTrain fare, on top of the $6 subway fee, stating that it's unaffordable for anyone commuting daily. Ventura is now considering alternative transportation options, such as taking a bus and walking.
But the impact doesn't stop there: The AirTrain discount isn't just a concern for airline staff. It's the primary means of transportation for countless workers at the airport's shops and restaurants, who also rely on the discounted fare to get to work.
Jordan Carson, a duty-free store employee at Hugo Boss, commutes from Mott Haven and is adamant about not paying the full AirTrain fare. He believes it's too expensive, especially for those who make the daily journey.
The Port Authority's lack of a clear plan has caused confusion, exacerbated by their previous struggles with implementing the MTA's OMNY system. In 2023, they installed OMNY readers at select AirTrain entry gates, but the two systems were incompatible, leading to open turnstiles. This 'temporary creative solution' still stands today, with security guards monitoring fare evasion.
As the Port Authority undergoes a leadership change, with Rick Cotton retiring and Kathryn Garcia stepping in, transit advocates are calling for action. They see this as an opportunity to set a precedent for a new 30-day unlimited pass across all city transit systems, a feature previously offered by the MetroCard but discontinued with the OMNY system.
Lisa Daglian, from the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, hopes this situation will spark a conversation about bringing back the 30-day unlimited pass option, benefiting commuters across the city's transit network.
