A major runway widening project started Monday at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York.

Runway 13 to 31 is to be widened to 200 feet from its current 150 feet. There will also be new taxi-ways for planes. It’s designed to eventually reduce traffic congestion at the busy airport and will cost US$376 million. The work will take in the region of four months.

As a result, arrivals and departures at JFK will be reduced from 1,300 per day to around 1,050 in order to reduce flight delays.

A statement from the office of New York Governor, David Paterson, said that the rebuilt runway would have a measurable long-term effect, and that air operators were already looking to change their flight plans to minimise the effect on passengers.

"The improvements are expected to reduce flight delays overall by an estimated 10,500 hours per year.

"Airlines are adjusting schedules and operations to mitigate delays, and the airport's three remaining runways will be utilized to their full capabilities during the Bay Runway's closure," said a statement.

During 2009, around 20 per cent of flights were delayed on take-off at JFK, according to the United States Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Transportation Statistics.