Editing Marine Air Terminal (section)

==== Pan Am Shuttle ====
Pan Am announced its [[Pan Am Shuttle]] service from New York to Boston and Washington in 1986,<ref name="p219167768">{{cite magazine |last=Sternberg |first=Bill |date=August 11, 1986 |title=Pan Am's Shuttle Hits Rough Winds |magazine=Crain's New York Business |volume=2 |issue=32 |page=1 |id={{ProQuest|219167768}}}}</ref> having purchased the rights to [[New York Air]]'s shuttle service.<ref name="nyt-1990-05-19">{{Cite news |last=Salpukas |first=Agis |date=May 19, 1990 |title=Pan Am's Shuttle Put Up for Sale |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/19/business/pan-am-s-shuttle-put-up-for-sale.html |access-date=August 4, 2022 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=August 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805002155/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/19/business/pan-am-s-shuttle-put-up-for-sale.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="p135188457">{{cite news |last=Carley |first=William E. |date=September 30, 1986 |title=Pan Am and Eastern Gird for Battle Over Shuttle Flights at La Guardia: Who Flies the Shuttle |page=35 |work=The Wall Street Journal |issn=0099-9660 |id={{ProQuest|135188457}}}}</ref> The airline initially planned to operate from two gates at the main terminal, but these gates were too small to fit the [[Boeing 727]] and [[Airbus A300]] fleet on the route, so Pan Am built new gates at the Marine Air Terminal.<ref name="p219167768" /> Construction of these gates began at the end of August 1986.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schmitt |first=Eric |date=August 28, 1986 |title=Texas Air Deal Seen On Shuttle |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/08/28/business/company-news-texas-air-deal-seen-on-shuttle.html |access-date=August 5, 2022 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=August 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805213814/https://www.nytimes.com/1986/08/28/business/company-news-texas-air-deal-seen-on-shuttle.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Pan Am spent $23 million to build a prefabricated structure next to the main building. The structure was completed in 41 days, as Pan Am was contractually obligated to begin shuttle flights by October 1986.<ref name="nyt-1986-12-21">{{Cite news |last=James |first=George |date=December 21, 1986 |title=La Guardia's Growth Plans Irk Queens Residents |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/21/nyregion/la-guardia-s-growth-plans-irk-queens-residents.html |access-date=August 5, 2022 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=August 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805213813/https://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/21/nyregion/la-guardia-s-growth-plans-irk-queens-residents.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Local politicians and preservationists were irate at the changes.<ref name="nyt-1986-12-21" /><ref name="p285323250" /> Days before the renovations were to be completed, several politicians attempted to halt the project, claiming that the Port Authority had illegally modified the portion of the terminal that had been designated as a landmark. Port Authority executives said they were only renovating a portion of the building that was not protected by the landmark designation.<ref name="p285323250">{{cite news |last=Jetter |first=Alexis |date=September 28, 1986 |title=Airport Work Challenged |page=19 |work=Newsday |id={{ProQuest|285323250}}}}</ref> Rocco Manniello, who operated a small Italian restaurant at the rear of the main building, renovated his restaurant during this time.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schmitt |first=Eric |date=December 14, 1986 |title=Restaurateur Brings a Taste of Italy to La Guardia |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/14/nyregion/restaurateur-brings-a-taste-of-italy-to-la-guardia.html |access-date=August 5, 2022 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=August 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805213809/https://www.nytimes.com/1986/12/14/nyregion/restaurateur-brings-a-taste-of-italy-to-la-guardia.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

Pan Am Shuttle flights started operating from the Marine Air Terminal on October 1, 1986.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Blumenthal |first=Ralph |date=October 2, 1986 |title=Computers Falter but Pan Am Shuttle Makes Debut |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/10/02/nyregion/computers-falter-but-pan-am-shuttle-makes-debut.html |access-date=August 4, 2022 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=August 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805002155/https://www.nytimes.com/1986/10/02/nyregion/computers-falter-but-pan-am-shuttle-makes-debut.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="p1639911646">{{cite news |last=Selvin |first=Barbara |date=October 2, 1986 |title=Pan Am's Shuttle Off and Running |page=9 |work=Newsday |id={{ProQuest|1639911646}}}}</ref> The terminal was relatively remote, being about {{convert|0.25|mi}} from the other buildings at LaGuardia Airport.<ref name="nyt-1988-05-12" /> Taxicabs had to take a circuitous route to access the terminal,<ref name="p219112524">{{cite magazine |last=Sternberg |first=Bill |date=September 21, 1987 |title=Why Pan Am Falls Short |magazine=Crain's New York Business |volume=3 |issue=38 |page=1 |id={{ProQuest|219112524}}}}</ref> and taxi drivers were hesitant to pick up passengers at the terminal, prompting Pan Am to sponsor giveaways for taxi drivers who drove there.<ref name="nyt-1988-05-12">{{Cite news |last=Hicks |first=Jonathan P. |date=May 12, 1988 |title=Company News; Pan Am Shuttle Turns the Corner |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/12/business/company-news-pan-am-shuttle-turns-the-corner.html |access-date=August 4, 2022 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=August 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805002155/https://www.nytimes.com/1988/05/12/business/company-news-pan-am-shuttle-turns-the-corner.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="p219112524" /> As a result, the shuttle was initially unable to compete with [[Eastern Air Lines]], which carried the majority of passengers who flew between New York and Boston.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Schmitt |first=Eric |date=February 21, 1987 |title=Company News; Pan Am Threatens To Sell Its Shuttle |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/02/21/business/company-news-pan-am-threatens-to-sell-its-shuttle.html |access-date=August 4, 2022 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=August 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805002154/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/02/21/business/company-news-pan-am-threatens-to-sell-its-shuttle.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Maynard |first=Micheline |date=August 17, 1987 |title=Eastern and Pan Am Duel For Frequent Shuttle Fliers |pages=124 |work=Newsday |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107023494/eastern-and-pan-am-duel-for-frequent/ |access-date=August 5, 2022 |archive-date=August 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805231448/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/107023494/eastern-and-pan-am-duel-for-frequent/ |url-status=live}}</ref> To attract passengers, Pan Am started operating a ferry line between Wall Street and the terminal in August 1987 and added an intermediate stop at the [[East 34th Street Ferry Landing]] to the route in July 1988.<ref name="p219112524" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Lyall |first=Sarah |date=December 6, 1987 |title=Air Shuttle's Latest Twist: Ferry Ride |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/06/nyregion/air-shuttle-s-latest-twist-ferry-ride.html |access-date=August 5, 2022 |issn=0362-4331 |archive-date=August 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220805213812/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/12/06/nyregion/air-shuttle-s-latest-twist-ferry-ride.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Seaton |first=Charles |date=August 28, 1988 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/100354247/daily-news/ |title=Ferryboats Cut New Path for Commuters |work=New York Daily News |access-date=January 7, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> This improved ridership to the point that Pan Am Shuttle was one of the airline's only profitable routes.<ref name="nyt-1990-05-19" /> Pan Am also opened a club for business flyers within the terminal.<ref name="p219109349">{{cite magazine |last=Fine |first=Brenda |date=February 26, 1990 |title=Airline Clubs Jostle for Business Travelers |magazine=Crain's New York Business |volume=6 |issue=9 |page=22 |id={{ProQuest|219109349}}}}</ref> Nonetheless, by 1990, Pan Am sought to sell the shuttle.<ref name="nyt-1990-05-19" />