Using the JFK AirTrain will be free – at least temporarily – a senior Port Authority official said Tuesday.
But savvy riders say they’ve been able to avoid paying the fare on the expensive people mover since October, after the authority installed OMNY payment readers at some of the line’s turnstiles in Jamaica and Howard Beach. The authority botched the installation of the technology, allowing people to stroll through those entrances without paying the $8.50 fare.
During a press conference, Port Authority Chief Operating Officer Jim Heitmann explained that the gates are intentionally left open during peak hours to avoid crowds.
“When we have high traffic volumes, we open the gates to allow people to continue to flow … We want to make sure people are flowing through the station as efficiently as possible,” Heitmann said. “When we open the gates, it’s free, basically just to manage traffic and provide a good level of customer service.”
This is a departure from statements made by a Port Authority spokesperson in May, who claimed at the time that the ticket gates at the AirTrain’s OMNY turnstiles were left open as a “temporary” solution while the authority worked to make the technology work with its turnstiles.
Heitmann did not specify how often the gates remain open, and Port Authority officials could not provide an example of when the OMNY gates at JFK AirTrain operated as designed.
Jason Rabinowitz, an airline industry analyst who uses the AirTrain at least once a month, said he has never seen the OMNY gates closed.
“I think they just didn’t bother to fully integrate OMNY into the old hubs,” Rabinowitz said. “Either they’re just too old or they’re going to be replaced soon and they didn’t bother.”
Port Authority spokeswoman Amanda Kwan said the agency’s police department has a post at the AirTrain station in Jamaica, where officers check fares. She said customer service representatives also work at ticket counters in Jamaica and Howard Beach.
The comments from Port Authority officials about the problems with the AirTrain’s fare gates come just days before the authority plans to end a program that has cut the cost of riding the line in half since July 1. That discount – which brings the official AirTrain fare down to $4.25 – will last through Labor Day.
“I wish it was free,” Rabinowitz complained. “I don’t like paying for the AirTrain. But I’m grateful for half price this summer because traffic at JFK is really apocalyptic right now.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with additional comments from the Port Authority.
