Promise Cooperation
From Spirit Airlines...
Spirit Airlines is pleased with any
initiative that reduces congestion at O'Hare International Airport.
We have been working closely with the FAA and in fact voluntarily
changed our flight times on 28 percent of our flights to assist in
the management of arrivals at the airport.
We believe that O'Hare congestion is largely due to the
proliferation of regional jets that reduce the efficiency of the
system. A regional jet utilizes the same infrastructure as an
average, larger aircraft but carries only one-third of the
passengers. Spirit supports the use of regional jets when small
communities are served but believes their increasing use to larger
cities is straining the system to the point of no return.
As the leading low-cost, low-fare carrier at O'Hare, Spirit
wants to ensure that competition does not suffer in the process.
Our growth has been limited by facility constraints, and it is
vital that the proliferation of regional jets not lead to permanent
slot re-regulation.
Spirit Airlines supports the reduction of congestion at O'Hare
and thanks Secretary Mineta, FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey and
their respective teams for their focus and dedication to improving
the situation that will best serve our customers and the Chicago
community.
From American Airlines...
American Airlines intends to comply
with the Federal Aviation Administration's latest order outlining
flight reductions for American effective Nov. 1 at Chicago O'Hare
International Airport. As evidence of American's support to improve
the dependability of operations at O'Hare, this marks the third
schedule reduction by American and American Eagle since February of
this year.
We appreciate the role of the FAA and the US Department of
Transportation in developing this latest order to provide near-term
improvement at O'Hare. However, long-term solutions need to focus
on increasing capacity at O'Hare rather than restricting schedules.
Reducing schedules adversely affects smaller cities that are
dependent on access to the nation's air transportation system
through O'Hare.
American supports the O'Hare Modernization Program, which will
increase capacity.
American has not yet completed work on its late Fall 2004 and
Winter 2005 schedule and therefore will not yet be able to provide
information on which flights will be affected by this latest FAA
order.
From United Airlines...
"In cooperation with the FAA, we
believe that we've reached an acceptable short-term solution that
will significantly improve congestion at O'Hare," said Pete
McDonald, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
"Over the long-run, more needs to be done to equitably address
O'Hare's congestion issues while responding to customer demand for
service, including the ongoing effort to expand capacity through
the O'Hare Modernization Plan."
Effective November 2004, United will reduce its flight schedule
at O'Hare by approximately 5%, or 19 arrivals, during the peak
hours between 12 p.m. and 8:59 p.m. Total operations at O'Hare will
remain at near-current levels as a result of utilizing capacity
during non-peak hours, and United will continue to provide service
to all markets currently served out of O'Hare. The company is
evaluating which flights will be affected. These reductions will be
in effect through April 2005.
To address delays, United has been working with the FAA and city
officials since the beginning of the year and already has made a
number of significant schedule changes at O'Hare. In February 2004,
United depeaked its schedule at O'Hare, followed by a 5% schedule
reduction at O'Hare in March and an additional 2.5% schedule
reduction there in June.
From US Airways...
US Airways said it supports the
joint order issued by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) and
the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which will reduce
operations related delays at Chicago O'Hare International
Airport.
"Secretary Mineta and Administrator Blakey have shown tremendous
leadership in dealing quickly with the congestion issues at O'Hare,
which have an impact on the entire aviation system," said Alan W.
Crellin, executive vice president of operations. "While we have a
relatively small flight schedule at O'Hare, it is still important
for US Airways to have access and remain competitive, and during
this proceeding, DOT and FAA officials have worked hard to strike a
careful balance."
US Airways operates 19 daily flights from O'Hare, with six-times
daily service to both Charlotte, N.C., and Pittsburgh, and seven
daily flights to Philadelphia. US Airways is the nation's
seventh-largest airline, serving nearly 200 communities in the US,
Canada, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. US Airways, US
Airways Shuttle and the US Airways Express partner carriers operate
over 3,300 flights per day.
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