With the number of airline mergers we’ve seen lately (including with Alaska, American, Delta, and United), airlines have had scattered operations at many airports. Obviously airlines often operated out of different airports pre-merger, and once those mergers closed, it wasn’t easy to just move things around overnight. in order to simplify operations.
One example of this has been at LaGuardia Airport, where American’s operations have been split between Terminals B & C. Historically American operated out of Terminal B, while US Airways operated out of Terminal C, though after the merger they easily consolidate operations.
Well, it looks like that will finally be happening. All American Airlines flights will be operating out of Terminal B at LaGuardia Airport as of December 9, 2017.
Here are the musical chairs taking place at LaGuardia as of December 9, according to the Port Authority:
- American will consolidate its operations – including American Airlines Shuttle – at Terminal B, ceasing its flights at Terminal C
- Delta will co-locate its LaGuardia operations in Terminals C and D by relocating its Delta Shuttle to Chicago and Washington, D.C. from Terminal A (Marine Air Terminal) to Terminal C
- JetBlue and Alaska will move its operations to Terminal A (Marine Air Terminal) from Terminal B
- Frontier and Spirit also will move from Terminal B and begin operations at Terminal D (Departing passengers, however, must check in at Terminal C.)
Here’s how American describes the move in their press release:
Upon the move, all American flights from LGA will be located in Terminal B. Since Dec. 2013, flights have been split between Terminals B and C. This consolidated operation means all customers will check in at Terminal B and American will operate flights from each of the terminal’s four concourses.
“Moving our entire operation under one roof will not only make travel easier for our customers traveling to, from and through LaGuardia but our team members will enjoy upgraded spaces and be better able to work together,” said Loretta Bove, managing director – LGA Hub Operations. “Customers will know exactly which terminal to check in to, they won’t have to travel far for their connections and Admirals Club members can enjoy our upgraded club featuring one of the best views of New York City.”
And here’s a map of American’s consolidated operations at LaGuardia:
In theory the consolidation is good news, though there is a major downside. Currently American has an Admirals Club in both Terminals B & C, while going forward they’ll only have one in Terminal B. So they’ll be serving the same number of passengers with just one lounge (in fairness, the Terminal C lounge is smaller, but still).
Furthermore, the above map may look straightforward, though the annoying thing is that the four concourses aren’t actually connected airside. There will be an airside shuttle bus connecting the concourses, but if you want to walk between the concourses you’ll have to exit security.
Bottom line
American is moving into a single terminal at LaGuardia, though it doesn’t simplify and improve things as much as you’d expect. The airline will have a single lounge going forward, and even though they’re technically in a single terminal, a bus ride will still be required to connect between concourses.
Omg commenters calm down. In a few years these terminals will be gone, so no more confusion of letters and numbers.
And sorry for your loss delta shuttle passengers @pavel, as a jetblue passenger, I welcome the move!
It would be so much easier if they'd jut use numbers for the concourses in Terminal B, or use numbers for the terminals and letters for the Terminal B concourses. But we have to keep in mind that this is the Port Authority at work here.
Might be time for JetBlue to reconsider slot usage and try to add flights to ORD and DCA, and/or more frequencies to BOS, to take advantage of the MAT location.
The United Club is just outside the C concourse in Terminal B, so no, United isn't just going to give up its gates to make AA's life easier.
I could practically walk from the upper, east-side to LaGuardia!
And WHERE will UNITED go????
I see all the unused former Eastern gates in Concourse A. Is United moving there?
I fly United and live on Park Avenue so LGA is SO convenient rather than shlepping out to Newark or Idlewild.
As a frequent NYC to Chicago flyer I'm really disappointed that delta is moving out of the marine air terminal.
Where else can you arrive at the airport 15minutes before departure and still make your flight?
Delta Losing out on Terminal A for shuttle flights to/from Boston and Washington DC is going to add 30 min each way to someone’s trip due to longer security lines, more walking, and more complicated cab pickup in terminal C
This is disappointing for me as an AA flyer.
I don’t understand why they couldn’t get United to vacate concourse C in terminal B. That would give AA more than enough gates to have all their flights in 2 adjacent concourses in the same terminal. Instead they’re spread across four concourses which isn’t much of an improvement over the current situation.
Also, the airside shuttle requires carrying your luggage up and down stairs....
This is disappointing for me as an AA flyer.
I don’t understand why they couldn’t get United to vacate concourse C in terminal B. That would give AA more than enough gates to have all their flights in 2 adjacent concourses in the same terminal. Instead they’re spread across four concourses which isn’t much of an improvement over the current situation.
Also, the airside shuttle requires carrying your luggage up and down stairs. I was optimistic that if they could consolidate to two concourses they might be able to find a way to better optimize the shuttle or avoid stairs entirely.
I guess one advantage is that AA can have a single check in counter location and most passengers can simply walk from there to to their correct concourse. Admirals Club members and connecting passengers lose the most in this change since they’re the only ones who need to connect between concourses.
All just temporary presumably until the new main terminal (B) at LGA opens in 3 years. Then I would imagine all of AA's gates will be well organized and connected airside.
Thanks - Have been flying out of Terminal C for a while about once a month or so on AA so thanks for the heads up.
Gross, the air side of terminal B's concourses are horrible. Restaurants and other food and drink options are about as minimal as you can get, not to mention the advanced age of the entire building. Hopefully the parking situation gets fixed by then. But in typical NY fashion I'm guessing the answer will be no.
What a mess to have to take a bus or leave security between AA's four concourses. Agreed that it's confusing with the terminal vs concourse language.
Isn’t the Admiral’s club in terminal B closed? They had me take the shuttle to terminal C a few weeks ago (I rarely fly through La Guardia).
The terminal C / terminal B concourse C thing is ridiculous. There are plenty of letters in the alphabet, I couldn’t believe it when they told me there were C gates in two terminals when I was there!
I’ll stick with Newark.
What a cluster. As if things weren't confusing enough already. I've flown out of LGA for over 20 years and just on Thursday realized last minute that my C gate flight was leaving from Terminal C, not the C concourse in Terminal B. Luckily they have an airside shuttle that runs between the two pretty efficiently.
So this will make it easier for pax on AA but for the rest of us who use...
What a cluster. As if things weren't confusing enough already. I've flown out of LGA for over 20 years and just on Thursday realized last minute that my C gate flight was leaving from Terminal C, not the C concourse in Terminal B. Luckily they have an airside shuttle that runs between the two pretty efficiently.
So this will make it easier for pax on AA but for the rest of us who use the shuttle flights, losing the Marine Air Terminal stinks. It's possible to get off your flight and into a cab in literally 90 seconds over there. Always loved the ease of use there.
LaGuardia - 3rd world problems.