Airlines Win Delay In Plan for Congestion
Carriers Protest Proposed Costs
TOOLBOX   Resize
 Save/Share +
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
|
Friday, February 8, 2008; Page D03
The government has delayed by at least a month a plan to reduce congestion at the nation's airports after stiff resistance from airlines.
A federal policy that would allow airports to charge higher landing fees during peak periods, and for other reasons, aims to reduce delays by encouraging airlines to spread their flights more evenly throughout the day. The policy, which also would encourage congested airports to include the cost of expansion projects in the landing fees, had been scheduled to go into effect in March, after a 45-day comment period.
But airline trade groups, which oppose the plan, requested and were granted a 30-day extension of the comment period, a Transportation Department spokesman said yesterday.
The Air Transport Association, which represents the nation's largest airlines, welcomed the government's decision for giving it "more time to thoroughly review the proposal and provide meaningful input," said spokesman David Castelveter.
Airline delays last year were the second-worst since data began being collected in 1995, the department said this week.
Meanwhile, the association representing airport owners and operators said its members were ready to act but did not oppose the airlines' request for an extension.
"Airports are ready to implement measures to address passenger congestion and delay today," said Deborah McElroy, executive vice president for policy and external affairs at Airports Council International-North America.
