JetBlue readies new post-9/11 terminal at JFK

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The terminal's "Marketplace" is a wide open space where departing passengers can eat and lounge. Several stores are also slated for the space, ranging from clothing retailer Lacoste to a Borders book shop.

A high main ceiling, drenched in natural light, is decorated with a large ring that will carry the JetBlue logo. Hooper said the sculpted piece is intended to create the feel of a city center, as a clock tower would in a town. From there, travelers will head down a wide corridor to the gates.

JetBlue plans to install touch-screen food order stands at the gates, which have been tested at its former home in Terminal 6. Passengers will be able to order food to be delivered to them at the gate.

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Participants in the August trial will follow standard boarding procedure, without actually boarding a flight. After the boarding rows are called, participants will reverse, and go through the arrival process and head to baggage claim with a fake baggage claim tag.

The half-day exercise is designed to test activity and flow of traffic on a normal day in the terminal. And while the dress rehearsal may seem like a bit of pomp and circumstance, airline officials know how important — and even vital — they can be.

When British Airways opened its new terminal at London's Heathrow in March, despite multiple test runs, chaos erupted on Day One as baggage systems malfunctioned and staffing issues arose.

JetBlue executives said they are doing everything to ensure a smooth transition.

"That is not to say that this trial is going to guarantee anything about Day One, but it allows us to follow protocol and test our checks and balances before we officially open the front doors," said Rich Smyth, JetBlue's vice president of redevelopment for the Terminal 5 project.

The carrier ran a passenger check-in simulation on Tuesday — with about 150 crew members. It has run about eight smaller trails, with varying focuses, but Smyth said getting people that were not familiar with the building or the carrier's procedures was key to getting an "honest" assessment of what work still needs to be done.

JetBlue will focus mainly on staffing and passenger flow at the large-scale trial, he said, since everything from monitors showing flight information to baggage carousels has already been tested. TSA security agents, Port Authority police and emergency services will also be on hand to review response procedures.

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