They may be getting some much-needed improvements, but New York's three airports still aren't up to snuff when it comes to amenities, according to one local airport advocacy group.
Newark, LaGuardia and JFK all offer fewer amenities, such as spas, mail services and dry cleaners, than other airports in major U.S. cities. That's according to a report released Wednesday by Global Gateway Alliance, a New York-based group hoping to draw attention to issues at the area's airports.
"Given how many passengers travel through our airports -- and the fact that we suffer some of the worst delays in the country -- we should lead the way in providing cutting-edge amenities," said Joseph J. Sitt, the group's chairman.
The report compared 15 amenities at 15 major U.S. airports. Dallas-Fort Worth, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, Chicago O'Hare fared the best, with 11 amenities each.
LaGuardia fared the worst out of the airports surveyed, offering only shoe shine facilities.
JFK fared best locally, but only offered six amenities, including shoe shiners, spas, live music, pharmacies and clinics and outdoor areas. Newark scored slightly worse, offering five.
All three of the area's airports are undergoing renovations and upgrades that could offer more services to the 110 million travelers who pass through the area every year.
Local
According to NBC News, Newark's $348 million modernization of Terminal B is nearing completion, and JFK is seeing upgrades at two terminals. LaGuardia is about to see some improvements as well, said Ron Marsico, a Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spokesman.
"We have an RFP out to four finalists for a public-private partnership to build a new, state-of-the-art Central Terminal Building as part of a $3.6 billion project to replace the current one that opened in 1964," Marsico told NBC News.
