An out-of-service escalator at Jamaica Station in Queens is reviving complaints that date back years and causing a frustrating case of déjà vu for some travelers taking the John F. Kennedy International Airport AirTrain.
The ascending escalator has been out of commission for months, leaving AirTrain passengers to wait for an elevator or face a long flight of stairs.
This comes after a long outage for the descending escalator back in 2023.
When to expect a fix
A spokesperson from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey told CBS News New York:
“We greatly appreciate travelers’ patience as we work to repair the escalator at the Jamaica AirTrain JFK station. We are expecting a part from an international manufacturer that has experienced shipping delays. Once these repairs are complete, the escalator will be entirely refurbished and should provide reliable serviced for years to come.”
The Port Authority expects the escalator to be repaired in time for the busy summer travel season.
Back in 2023, the agency cited supply chain issues for the broken descending escalator.
“This should not take that long”
Some riders told CBS News New York they’ve grown accustomed to the outages and don’t mind waiting for the elevator. Others point to the $19 billion transformation of JFK, questioning why the AirTrain hasn’t kept pace.
“My wife and I looked at this and said, ‘Here we go again,'” Paul Whalen said.
CBS News New York first spoke with Whalen in 2023, when he reached out about prolonged outages for the downward escalator at the station.
“This should not take that long. I’m sure they can find parts somewhere else,” Queens Borough President Donovan Richards said.
He said this critical transit hub should have infrastructure on par with Penn Station’s.
“We deserve nothing less than any other community,” he said.
“I was here at Christmas. I was here coming back from overseas at Easter and a couple of other domestic trips,” Whalen said. “You look at these elevators at the rush-hour times, and they are jam-packed.”
Richards said a $50 million commitment from Gov. Kathy Hochul will bring Jamaica Station into the 21st century.
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