Thu Jan 20, 2022 9:35 pm
Truthfully, TWA's magnificent JFK terminal connected to two tiny banjos that were an incredible waste of space. The amount of tarmac that went unused was ridiculous, and the new T5 for JetBlue is orders of magnitude better in nearly every conceivable metric. The best part, though, is that preserving the Eero Saarinen masterpiece didn't impinge on the usage of space at JFK at all.
The Worldport, on the other hand, had multiple things going against it. It was one of the most wasteful uses of space, with no ability to expand or remodel. Second, the building itself occupies a much smaller footprint than the old TWA facilities, meaning Delta couldn't "just build around it". Third, the design - while unique - was nothing special. It was different, but not architecturally significant. Finally, to say that it was in "deplorable" condition is an understatement. It was time for it to go.