New JFK Runway Usage?

[kc2aqg]

I'm listening to the LiveATC for JFK Tower now (Sunday Morning approx 9 AM) and it appears they are using a new traffic pattern. Some WAVEY departures got stopped and were released a little while ago, and now it looks like they are using rwy 31R for arrivals, rwy 31L @ Kilo Kilo for westbound departures, and (the new piece), runway 22R @ Foxtrot for eastbound and southbound departures!

I'm curious of other people's thoughts on how this will help relieve congestion at JFK. Just last sunday on my NW DC-9 mileage run, we sat for about 1 hour taxiing on a line starting on 4L and stretching all the way around the Foxtrot and Yankee intersections waiting for a 31L departure. I think this could be the beginning of new runway patterns to help relieve congestion, and could significantly help during the International rush period in the afternoon & evening.

[AirtrafficController]

I think this was probably a test but it sounds like a good runway configuration. They proably tried this since runway 4R/22L is closed.

[cancidas]

it'll help allieviate taxiway congestion. if you send all those planes headed south to one and of the airport, and all those headed west to the other end you'll cut the line in half.

[T-Bird76]

Funny you mention this...just this morning I took off from 22R. I thought it was very odd but atleast JFK is trying. The 22R departure was also used for Northbound departures, both AE's Toronto and my flight to YUL took off from 22R.