Delta, United airlines mulling JFK expansion-paper

NEW YORK, Aug 5 (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:DAL - news) and UAL Corp.'s (NYSE:UAL - news) United Airlines are discussing major investments in new and expanded terminals at Kennedy International Airport, Thursday's New York Times reported.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said Wednesday that the scale and design of the projects are still being worked out with the airlines.

Delta's terminal is expected to cost from $400 million to $1 billion, according to Robert J. Kelly, director of aviation for the Port Authority.

United is considering a plan to combine domestic and international flights under one terminal, which would be renovated extensively to accommodate a new customs and immigration area. The project would be budgeted at $240 million to $340 million. If approved, construction would begin next year and complete in 2002.

Even if both airlines choose the most modest of the projects, their combined investment would increase the amount being spent on expanding and rebuilding Kennedy airport to more than $9 billion, more than at any other airport in the world, the newspaper reported.