Thu, May 14, 2009
Announces Discussions on Reducing Congestion
US Transportation Secretary Ray
LaHood is proposing to rescind plans for slot auctions at New
York-area airports (and thereby make ATA's day....). Under the
proposal, the Department would halt plans announced last October to
withdraw a number of slots from airlines operating at airports in
the New York region and auction the slots to the highest
bidder.
"We're still serious about tackling aviation congestion in the
New York region," Secretary LaHood said in New York City in remarks
to the Association for a Better New York. "I'll be talking with
airline, airport and consumer stakeholders, as well as elected
officials, over the summer about the best ways to move
forward."
The plans for the auctions for slots at New York's JFK and
LaGuardia Airports and Newark Liberty International Airport were
announced by the Department on Oct. 10, 2008. The auctions were
proposed as part of a plan to reduce congestion and delays at the
region's airports, along with caps on the number of flights per
hour at each of the airports. Due to litigation over the rule and a
court-ordered stay, the auctions have not taken place.
In proposing to rescind the auctions, the Department noted that
the rulemaking was highly controversial and that most of those
filing comments opposed the slot auctions. The Department also
noted that circumstances have changed since the rules were issued,
including changes in the economy.
Comments on the proposed rescinding of the rule will be due 30
days following its publication in the Federal Register. After the
comment period ends the Department will review the comments and
then issue a final decision.
FMI: www.regulations.gov, docket
FAA-2008-0517. Comments also will be posted on this site.
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