The Jabbrrbox: A (Hot) Lounge for One in the Middle of Chaotic LaGuardia Airport
If you've traveled through New York's LaGuardia recently, you were probably left with a rather negative impression of the airport. Aside from the fact that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the airport, is essentially building new terminals on the site of the existing ones, passenger amenities are scarce — and have been for years. And there hasn't been much in the way of passenger-centric development recently because of space and structural limitations.
The opening of the American Express Centurion Lounge in 2014 was the most recent passenger improvement, together with Delta's investment of $100 million in improvements at Terminals C and D. However, the recent construction at the airport has only exacerbated passenger woes. As construction on the new LaGuardia Airport ramps up, the passenger experience at the airport continues to get worse.
One noteworthy example of this is Terminal B's Concourse C. It's small, old, leaky, dirty and overcrowded. American Airlines is currently the sole tenant, after concentrating all of its operations at the terminal's Concourses C and D. This means that during peak hours, Concourse C is literally packed wall-to-wall with passengers coming and going.
For passengers traveling through Concourse C and seeking a more enjoyable experience, there are essentially two options at the moment. AA operates a cramped and dated Admirals Club in Concourse D while American Express operates the Centurion Lounge, prior to the security checkpoint. Neither option is conducive to efficient travel: You either have to take a crowded shuttle to Concourse D or leave the secure area.
I experienced the horror of Concourse C recently while I waited for my flight to St. Louis (STL). My flight was scheduled to depart around 6:15pm. I managed to get to the airport around 5pm. This meant that I had roughly 45 minutes to kill until boarding. While standard security was quite busy, I managed to get through TSA PreCheck in less than five minutes. This put me past security with roughly 35 minutes until boarding. I decided to grab a pretzel and find a seat to wait for boarding.
Unfortunately, there wasn't a single open seat in the entire gate area. I made my way over to the opposite gate, which was also quite busy, though I managed to find a fairly quiet space next to the faux plants that serve as the divider for the American Airlines' Admirals Club Service Center.
Once I settled in, I noticed two white pods adjacent to my departure gate. They looked like sleek futuristic phone booths. Atop each pod was the word "Jabbrrbox". The pods obviously piqued my interest. They were private workplaces, essentially a lounge for one. Jackpot, I thought.
Jabbrrbox, I found out later, is a fairly new startup founded by Brian Hackathorn, the interior designer responsible for creating the New York offices of companies such as Mashable and Dropbox.
Each Jabbrrbox was 40.5x40.5 inches with 80 inches of headroom. That's not a lot of space, but it's more than sufficient to get actual work done and even unwind. Pricing for a Jabbrrbox is as follows: $10 for 15 minutes, $15 for 30 minutes and $30 for 60 minutes, with a cap at three hours. The Jabbrrbox pod featured a locking glass door for privacy and security. This was one of my few complaints: the glass door was completely clear, providing little privacy. I wasn't the only one curious about Jabbrrbox: Maybe a dozen or so travelers stopped to watch me use the workspace. (I understand that if the pod featured a solid or frosted glass door, this could pose a security threat.)
Each Jabbrrbox featured a touchscreen panel mounted on the exterior of the pod. That screen was used to make reservations, as well as display current and upcoming reservations. The touchscreen was responsive and intuitive. I was able to make a reservation in less than two minutes.
Once I selected the duration of my reservation, I got a text and email with a code. This code was critical as it served as both the access code for the pod and also the Wi-Fi password. Armed with my code, I entered it on the touchscreen and within three minutes of arriving at the pod I was inside getting settled. The first thing I noticed was just how quiet the pod was. I assumed I would hear some terminal noise but to my surprise, there was almost no outside noise pollution. Instantly, it was as if I was in my own little world.
The second thing I noticed — and my other major complaint — was the temperature of the pod. It was hot. I had been traveling around nonstop for the past three hours and was already running quite warm. The air inside the pod was stagnant and seemed to bottle up the heat from around the terminal. I had to take a few deep breaths and really cool down before it began to feel remotely comfortable inside the pod. This could easily be avoided with the installation of a fan.
The most obvious component of the space was the large LCD touchscreen at eye level mounted in the center of the pod. The large LCD monitor acted essentially like a control panel and hub for all things Jabbrrbox. The monitor allowed me to change the color of the lighting, access the pod's Wi-Fi, check my flight's status, and even access a photo booth feature.
I took advantage of the mood lighting feature and even played around with the photo booth.
Other amenities included an AC power outlet, two USB outlets and a USB-C port. This was one of the most valuable features, as there is a chronic outlet shortage at LaGuardia.
In general, aside from the heat, I found the pod to be relaxing and comfortable. It allowed me to sit down and regroup. Jabbrrbox took me away from the hustle and bustle of LaGuardia and allowed me to focus. There was also plenty of space to unwind and store my bags.
I ended up spending just 10 minutes in the pod. I was impressed by the ease of access, comfort, design and functionality of Jabbrrbox, a mobile workspace for the worker on the go. A space to unwind and relax, it's a fantastic innovation that could greatly enhance the terminal experience for passengers.
Be on the lookout for new Jabbrrbox pods as the company plans to expand to additional airports by the end of 2018.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.