You Thought Flying Couldn't Get Worse?

JFK's main runway shuts down on Monday for a four month repair and retrofit. And passengers all across the country will suffer.

About a third of airport traffic - and half of departures - will have to be diverted from the Bay Runway to smaller runways, leading to longer lines on the ground and in the air. Millions of passengers at other airports also will be delayed by the ripple effect from Kennedy bottlenecks this spring. The construction also may spark price hikes for airline tickets. Airlines will have to cut the number of planes flying by about 10%, so they might raise prices because there will be fewer seats to meet demand, analysts say. Kennedy's massive Bay Runway - at more than 14,500 feet one of the longest in the world - is being repaved with concrete and widened to fit bigger planes. Airport officials are hoping delays on the $376 million project will be minimal because March through June is the driest period in the city.

Airlines are already padding their departure and arrivals times by up to 50 minutes so passengers don't feel late.