By Philip Newman
Queens’ two great air terminals and the accompanying travel industry have lost at least 10,000 jobs since Sept. 11, 2001 — the worst impact suffered by any employment sector in the city, a new survey reports.
Not only that, but the economic hardship suffered by LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy International airports was more severe than that at most other major U.S. airports, the Center for an Urban Future reported.
“Over the past year the air transportation sector has lost 16.5 percent of its jobs — by far the most of any city industry,” the survey said. “The industry with the next highest percentage of job losses was the securities industry with a loss of 9 percent.”
The survey by the New York-based think tank that examines policy issues for the city did not break down job losses at JFK and LaGuardia.
“Hotels at and near JFK have fared significantly worse over the past year than hotels in other parts of the city,” the survey reported. “Between July 2001 and July 2002, the occupancy rate for major JFK hotels declined by 7.5 percent from a 72 percent occupancy rate to a 66.6 percent rate, compared to a 1.8 percent drop at hotels citywide.”
The study called “Bumpy Skies” found jobs in the city’s trucking and warehousing sector, much of it located at the two airports, were down by more than 1,000 in the same period from 21,800 in August 2001 to 20,500 a year later.
The Center for an Urban Future said only three of the nation’s 31 largest airports have had it worse than JFK and only six worse than LaGuardia. The average hub of the largest U.S. airports was down 8.8 percent.
The Federal Aviation Administration said commercial air operations fell by 17.7 percent at JFK and 15.5 percent at LaGuardia.
“The problem is here is no guarantee that New York’s airports will capture a significant portion of an expected growth or even if the two airports will regain the business they have lost since Sept. 11,” the survey concluded.
It warned that the top airline at each Queens airport faces severe problems.
“US Airways, which has the most flights at LaGuardia, is in bankruptcy and American Airlines, with the largest presence at JFK, has cut thousands of jobs and heavily reduced its flights,” the survey said.
“The post-9/11 trends are primarily the result of external factors such as the global economic slowdown, a steep drop in business travel and security concerns,” the survey said.
“But the problems at JFK and LaGuardia have deeper causes that predate the terrorist attacks,” the agency said. “The two Queens airports have been gradually losing their edge to other major airports across the country for much of the past decade.
“While some contributing factors are out of the hands of local policy makers, there is much the city and state officials can do to help stabilize and improve this important sector,” the survey suggested.
To that end, the Center for an Urban Future recommended:
Make improving access to JFK an immediate priority, including a one-seat ride on the AirTrain and opening the Belt Parkway to commercial cars during certain hours, establishing a fourth lane on the Van Wyck and closing one or two exit/entrance ramps on the Van Wyck at peak periods.
Make the airports a major part of the city and state economic development strategy.
Consider a living-wage law for the airports as a way of cutting high turnover of workers and increasing quality of employees at the airports.
According to an executive of Hudson General, a JFK major contractor, the company loses half its 1,500 employees annually. Another JFK-based contractor said it has a 100 percent annual turnover among its warehouse workers.
Reach contributing writer Philip Newman by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 136.
