Author: Jerry Spampanato
Jerry Spampanato
Jerry Spampanato was the General Manager at John F. Kennedy International Airport in the Aviation Department of the PANYNJ. As General Manager, he was responsible for operating the airport daily, managing and directing the activities of 500 staff members within an annual budget of $300 million. An airline and Port Authority executive with extensive experience, Jerry assumed various roles, including operations, customer service, maintenance, security, cargo, facilities, and labor relations. Before joining the Port Authority, Jerry held key airline executive positions. In addition to managing airports in the Caribbean, U. S. Northeast, and Southeast regions, he was the key architect in developing and constructing cargo and terminal facilities. He also orchestrated the buildup of flight operations in New York and Miami to major hub status. Jerry began his career with the Port Authority in 1992, where he managed Terminal One and supervised the operation of Carrier Operations. In 1994, he became Manager, Airport Maintenance Services Division at JFK. As General Manager, he interfaced with airlines, airport tenants, federal agencies, and surrounding local communities. Jerry continues to be an active airport community member donating his time to the JFK Chamber of Commerce, Our Lady of the Skies Catholic Guild, the School Sisters of Notre Dame, and York College.
Today’s travel experience is governed by the passenger bill of rights and many other metrics that continually monitor flight travel. These are not new concepts. Over the years, as airlines merged and new airlines appeared, on-time performance remains a constant operational issue. During my time working at Pan Am, the airline merged with National Airlines. Merging two companies, even in the same industry, is not easy. I accepted a position in Miami while working for PanAm and relocated to sunny Florida. My responsibilities included overall operations for flights at Miami International Airport and the southeast region. At the same…
What makes JFK a unique airport is its original concept of unit terminals. Individual airlines designed, built, and operated their own terminal, allowing their company branding and slogans to be implemented. What it didn’t provide, however, was an easy transfer of baggage from one terminal to another for passengers who arrived on one flight and may have transferred to another airline for a connecting flight. An interline baggage company would transfer bags from one terminal to another. Pan Am extended the Umbrella Terminal (later known as Terminal 3) to the Worldport in December 1973. The terminal was expanded to include…
As I approached the airport entrance, I felt like I was in a different country. The lush green grass, flowering trees, and floral landscapes were just the beginning of the airport experience. As I drove further into the airport, I came upon the fountains and additional beautiful landscaping that was not often seen in Queens at this time. The year was 1959, and it was Idlewild Airport! I made my way to the Pan American Airways Headquarters building in Hangar 14, now the Port Authority Administration building, seeking employment. Two of us were hired as traffic representatives, and three flight…
Mother Nature never ceases to amaze. Several weeks before the events of October 29, 2012, weather reports indicated an impending storm heading our way. No one imagined the damage that Hurricane Sandy would deliver to the airport and NYC. Weeks of preparation with Federal agencies, including the National Weather Service, airlines, and the airport community, would not have spared the wrath brought on by Sandy. Adding to this was a full moon and high tides simultaneously; the perfect storm. In advance of the storm, an Airport General Manager’s Bulletin alerted the airport community of the impending storm. Flights were canceled,…
Just when you think you are finished with snowstorm interruptions at the airport, who would have guessed that a volcanic eruption in Iceland would impact airport operations around the world? Well, it did. The now infamous Eyjafjallajökull Volcano in Iceland erupted in April 2010, spewing volcanic ash that impacted more than 100,000 flights over seven days. The impact of this event on aviation operations that canceled flights had not been felt since World War II. An estimated 250 million meter ash plume rose to 30,000 feet. The ash damaged military aircraft from various European countries, leaving thousands of passengers stranded…
In 2023, John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) celebrated its 75th anniversary. What better time than now to reflect upon past events, including snowstorms, which impacted the airport’s operations and affected thousands of travelers? My name is Jerry Spampanato, and I was the General Manager of JFK from 2008 to 2014, a position in the Aviation Department of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ). Before joining the PANYNJ, I worked for Pan American World Airlines (Pan Am) for 33 years, including time spent at JFK and many other locations worldwide. I ended my Pan Am career…