Bloomberg Businessweek reports on the reopening of the newly renovated Bay Runway, the longest at New York’s JFK International Airport. In addition to the rebuilt, stronger surface and widening to accommodate larger aircraft, the new runway brings another benefit: shorter lines for takeoff. Airlines and air traffic controllers experimented with ways to minimize takeoff lines during the runway’s closure, and the changes are likely to stay. Airport officials say they may even be expanded to LaGuardia Airport later this year:

JetBlue has been coordinating with air traffic controllers to reduce bottlenecks during the runway repaving by holding some planes at the gate. The airline had used the “first out” method of lining up aircraft on the taxiway for departure, even if final takeoff plans weren’t set, said Marisa Von Wieding, head of JFK operations for the New York-based carrier.

“Queues for departures could be 30 or 40 aircraft deep,” Von Wieding said in an interview. “Now, we have reduced taxi times and reduced fuel use. It changed the mindset of how we do business” at JFK.