Jewish & World News

The federal government has slapped JetBlue Airways with a $90,000 fine for an incident at John F. Kennedy International Airport that violated the so-called passenger bill of rights. It is the first fine issued for this type of violation.

A man whose jet ski failed him in New York's Jamaica Bay swam to John F. Kennedy airport, where he was easily able to penetrate the airport $100 million, state-of-the art security system. Daniel Casillo, 31, was able to swim up to and enter the airport grounds on Friday night, past an intricate system of motion sensors and closed-circuit cameras designed to to safeguard against terrorists, authorities said.

It may not be the coughing, sneezing passenger next to you on your next flight who is spreading disease, it could be the airport you just took off from. Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Civil and Environmental Engineering department looked at the 40 largest U.S. airports and figured out which ones would be the most likely to spread a disease in the event of an outbreak in the cities they serve.

Think twice before you check your luggage at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Cash, jewelry, electronics and other valuables are being stolen from passengers’ baggage at a staggering rate. It’s happening as a result of inside jobs that aren’t being stopped, CBS 2’s Marcia Kramer reports exclusively.

Prosecutors have charged a man with snatching luggage from passengers at John F. Kennedy Airport. Police said Frederick McDonald, of Queens, netted more than $18,000 in cash, electronics and other property during six thefts between January and March. Port Authority Police spokesman Al Della Fave said one of the victims was a college student from Seattle who had just arrived with $4,000 cash to pay his tuition at a college in New York.

The Transportation Security Administrating says it has stopped several suspicious items recently at area airports. One incident took place Friday. That’s when a TSA agent at Newark-Liberty International Airport spotted two hand grenades inside a passenger’s carry-on bag. Turns out the grenades were inert replicas and meant to be used as gearshift knobs in a car.

For some travelers flying out of JFK Airport, the whole process is becoming a little less of a hassle. Some flyers Wednesday morning were floating on air at American Airlines’ Terminal 8 screening. They left on their shoes, belts, and jackets, they didn’t have to open their bags, and they breezed through security.

At least nine private security guards at Kennedy Airport have been fired this year for sleeping on the job, The Post has learned. But the supervisor responsible for getting many of them sacked is still on the job -- even though he, too, was caught snoozing, the employees say.

An air traffic controller at Kennedy Airport told Fox 5 that a runway situation at the airport is so complex that the controllers are just trying to hold on. Controller Stephen Abraham, who is also the union president, says while the main runway is shut down for repairs, departing planes have to cross runways twice, which concerns the controllers.

Delta Air Lines Inc. must upgrade its 1960s-era terminal at New York’s Kennedy airport to win more higher-fare international business travelers, an executive said.

Starting today, flying out of JFK goes from bad to worse. Millions of travelers can expect to wait longer -- and pay more -- to fly to and from JFK Airport after its main runway is shut down for extensive repairs that are expected to last at least four months.

A man returning from Haiti who walked through a restricted door and set off an alarm that led to the evacuation of a terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport simply went the wrong way, his attorney said Sunday. "He just walked through the wrong door," said defense attorney Scott Dufault, who declined to comment further when reached by phone at his office following his client's arraignment. The security breach on Saturday afternoon delayed dozens of flights and caused headaches for hundreds of travelers who had to exit the terminal and wait for hours while police swept through the building. Passengers were then re-screened by Transportation Security Administration officers. Read More: WCBS

A man who walked through a restricted door and set off an alarm at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport while returning from Haiti has appeared in court and has been released without bail. An official familiar with the case against Jules Paul Bouloute says the 57-year-old told police he went to the wrong door by mistake while trying to exit the Queens airport. The official wasn't authorized to comment publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity. The Saturday security breach delayed dozens of flights. Travelers had to exit the terminal and wait for hours to be re-screened. The man was arraigned Sunday on charges including criminal tampering. He didn't enter a plea. Defense attorney Scott Dusault couldn't immediately be reached by phone for comment. Read More: WCBS

The largest runway at John F. Kennedy International Airport will be shut down in March for renovations. Airport officials say the runway will be closed for four months. The runway handles one-third of JFK's total air traffic, including more than half of its departures. During repairs, there will be fewer flights on carriers like Delta and JetBlue. The shutdown could increase delays, but airport and airline officials insist there won't be any major problems. They say that in the long run, the renovations will help reduce delays. The repairs will include widening the runway, replacing its asphalt surface with concrete, and updating lighting and electrical systems. Read More: WCBS

The average delay at Kennedy International Airport lasts more than an hour; one in every five flights left late last year; and its performance ranks in the bottom third of major American airports.And that is before its biggest runway shuts down. Starting in March, Runway 13R-31L, the war horse of Kennedy’s four, will close for four months of repairs. At 14,572 feet, the runway is the second-longest commercial landing strip in the country — and it handles a third of the airport’s total air traffic, including more than half of its departures. The shutdown, part of a continuing project to reduce delays at the airfield, will mean fewer flights out of New York on major carriers like Delta and JetBlue, particularly in June, the traditional start of the summer rush. It could increase delays at an airport already notorious for long waits: Of the 46 most frequently delayed domestic flight routes last spring, half involved an arrival or departure at J.F.K.. And travelers may want to hold up...