Do New York's Airports Prevent Travel?

new york cityHere's an interesting Letter to the Editor from the New York Times: Jonathan Tisch, chairman of Loews Hotels and chairman emeritus of the U.S. Travel Association, responded to an article last week about travel infrastructure in the country, lamenting the "pitiable" aviation infrastructure. "That New York’s three major airports, for example, are ranked among the world’s worst has real economic implications," Tisch wrote.

Any inefficiency in these airports cause "a ripple effect throughout the country," he continued, and international travelers avoid them as gateways to the country. "The world is in the midst of a global travel boom led by the expanding middle classes of China, Brazil and India. Unless we act now to overhaul our aging infrastructure, we will lose these travelers along with the windfall of jobs and tax revenues they provide," Tisch wrote. 

But there is hope: Tisch recommends public-private partnerships that can "create greater accountability and transparency, introduce innovation and competition, and help ensure on-time and on-budget completion, saving taxpayer dollars."

What do you think? Do the conditions of New York's airports deter visitors? What kind of partnerships would bring JFK, LaGuardia and Newark up to par with international airports? Sound off in the comments below!