The Airport: Terminal Nights and Runway Days at John F. Kennedy International

by James Kaplan

A detailed portrait of JFK International captures the airport's exoticism and mystique, reporting on everything from its notorious criminals, its mind-boggling organization, its infamous delays, and its place in the world. Reader's Digest Cond Bks.

Genres: Aviation, Travel

278 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1994

About the author

James Kaplan has been writing noted biography, journalism, and fiction for more than four decades. The author of Frank: The Voice and Sinatra: The Chairman, the definitive two-volume biography of Frank Sinatra, he has written more than one hundred major profiles of figures ranging from Miles Davis to Meryl Streep, from Arthur Miller to Larry David.

Reviews

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very much a book for a niche audience, especially as it's nearly 30 years old and the occasional twinges of sexism don't hold up very well, but other than that I am in the niche that finds a book about airport and airline operations fascinating. I read it before and during a flight and the brief chapters were well suited to the brief attention span of travel. For me, this will be a memorable find from the Friends of the Library used bookstore, and one that I will leave behind in the hopes a future traveler finds it equally a score.

[Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though issued in 1994, meaning the research is approaching 25 years old, "The Airport" still makes remarkably fresh reading. In it, Kaplan delves into all the major systems in and around New York City's JFK International Airport, with side journeys into topics like the safety of air travel and bird control. I particularly liked his explanations of the various lighting systems and runway & taxiway naming conventions, having often idly wondered what all the different colors and arrows meant. It turns out that airports and air travel form such a deeply interconnected system that change usually occurs very slowly, if at all, making this book still relevant and enjoyable after so many years.

[Robert Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is written by the same author of the book I am currently reading, Sinatra, The Chairman by James Kaplan. It is the Good, Bad any Ugly of using,operating or working at JFK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SERVING NEW YORK CITY. ONE chapter came very close to my own life experience of applying for, testing and finally being hired by the FAA to become an Air Traffic Controller. I resigned from my current job and had the family packed and ready to move when PATCO called a strike, which was illegal then because government employees could not strike. President Ronald Reagan fired all the Controlers and a hiring freeze was implemented by the FAA. I HAD TO BEG FOR MY OLD JOB BACK AND THAT ENDED MY DREAM OF BEING AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTOLER. This all came back to me when I read Kaplan's Chapter titled "PUSHING TIN".
Now I will return back to Kaplan's other book I started "Sinatra".

[Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprised this has a 3 star rating. Granted, I'm an aviation enthusiast and a New Yorker, but I enjoyed the unfettered access to JFK that Kaplan had and I enjoyed his writing style. A good read if you're interested in the subject.

[Doug Haskin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Out of date as regards airlines and the aircraft they operate, but an interesting look at the inner workings of various parts of Kennedy airport. Doubt anything like this would get written today, with all the security protocols put in place since 9/11.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Its an interesting read because of the way Kaplan writes, however, if you are looking for more information about how airports are run (for curiosity's sake) it is not immensely fulfilling.

[Gary Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book. JFK is a world unto itself. You must read this.