DOT wants to auction off LGA slots
Here we go again! Their idiotic scheme of flight caps never worked all these years, so they're trying to bring up their "market-based" approach by confiscating existing slots and auctioning them off. How is stealing property akin to a market-based solution? This administration really has no clue what they're doing. Mary Peters is truly an idiot.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/17/ny...17airport.html
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The federal Department of Transportation on Wednesday proposed auctioning landing and departure slots to airlines at La Guardia Airport to reduce persistent delays. The move drew immediate criticism from the Port Authority, Gov. David A. Paterson and Senator Charles E. Schumer.
The proposal, by Mary E. Peters, the transportation secretary, is part of the federal government’s drive to introduce market-based pricing measures for institutional users of airports, highways and other transportation facilities. Toll agencies, airlines and others who use these facilities have generally opposed such measures, arguing that the costs will ultimately be passed on to consumers.
Re: DOT wants to auction off LGA slots
all this is going to do turn LGA into a USA-AAL-DAL only airport. the smaller carriers will be gone when they can't afford the slots.
speaking of slots, what's going to happen to ATA's?
Re: DOT wants to auction off LGA slots
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Originally Posted by cancidas
all this is going to do turn LGA into a USA-AAL-DAL only airport. the smaller carriers will be gone when they can't afford the slots.
speaking of slots, what's going to happen to ATA's?
Exactly. And these carriers can't go to EWR or JFK because slots are now limited at those airports. I don't get how this will "increase competition" or prices like the DOT says.
Re: DOT wants to auction off LGA slots
this is just another classic case of someone sitting behind a desk in a stuff office thinking that because (s)he has an MBA (s)he know how to govern the airline industry.
Re: DOT wants to auction off LGA slots
Quote:
Originally Posted by cancidas
this is just another classic case of someone sitting behind a desk in a stuff office thinking that because (s)he has an MBA (s)he know how to govern the airline industry.
Mary Peters doesn't have an MBA. She just has a BA from University of Phoenix. Most of her background is in highway administration and she has championed congestion pricing and tolls for roads. That's all she knows and she isn't open to new ideas. She also said she didn't consider bicycles to be a mode of transportation. So many educated people in this country and this is the best we can do?
Re: DOT wants to auction off LGA slots
I personally support the plan they discussed a few months ago, where by carriers like US, DL, and AA who have large commuter operations would have to operate a larger percentage of higher capacity aircraft, or would risk loosing some of their commuter slots. Even though I am with US at LGA I personally believe all 3 of the above mentioned carriers operate way to many commuter aircraft and not enough Mainline size aircraft. At US we have 3 kinds of slots, and although not exact, fairly evenly divided by the 3 kinds, or we have about a third of each. The first are Mainline only slots, that have to be flown by aircraft with I believe meaning at least 100 seats. In our case the 733, 734. 319-321, 757 and perhaps the E-190. The second set are commuter only slots, not sure if they stop at 50 seats or not. The third are slots that can be flown by ML, but if the carrier chooses they can be used by an Express carrier instead, and many but not all are. I am fairly sure the same scenior exists at AA and DL. The latter are the ones I would like to see some of converted to larger aircraft, or the carrier would have to give them up to carriers like B6, FL, F9 etc who I believe want to increase LGA service and would do it only flying Mainline aircraft.
To defend US we are gradually increasing seats. By May there will be no more Beech 1900's (19 seats) with all these Colgan flights being operated by Saab 340's (30-34 seats). Not sure how many of you are aware but US currently has 11 76 seat E-170's six days a week (less on Saturday) at LGA plus 1 86 seat E-175 both operated by Republic. In May that will increase to 7 E170 and 5 E175, still 12 total. These aicraft replaced 50 seat Chautauqua E-145 and Air Wisconsin CRJ-200 aircraft.
Also US Currently flies only 3 A-321's a day at LGA, that increases to 4 in May and 6 in July all to CLT.
While AA currently has no 50 seat or larger RJ's at LGA, only E-135 and E-140's (37 and 44 seats) they sorta make up for it as the next step up is their MD80's (140 seats) and 738's (148) seats whereas UA, US, NW, and AC operate some of their Mainline service with smaller capacity aircraft than AA.
And DL now has around 20 a day mix of CR7, CR9, and E-170's, even operating the CR7 to cities like TPA and the CR9 to PBI, I assume replacing MD88's
So for me, the key is larger aircraft, use em or loose em, LGA is and probably always be one of the most desired airports in the country for most airlines.
Regards
LGA777
Re: DOT wants to auction off LGA slots
I am surprised DL is downsizing their LGA-TPA route, but not PBI, although NYC-PBI is very competitive with LCCs. DL's loads were impressive but not very, only being in the upper 60% to mid 70% range.
Re: DOT wants to auction off LGA slots
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Originally Posted by JetBlueAirwaysFan
I am surprised DL is downsizing their LGA-TPA route, but not PBI, although NYC-PBI is very competitive with LCCs. DL's loads were impressive but not very, only being in the upper 60% to mid 70% range.
The CR7's and CR9's in these markets represent one freq to TPA and now 2 to PBI, the rest are still MD88's (for now) ! Keep in mind especially PBI is very low yield.
LGA777
Re: DOT wants to auction off LGA slots
Quote:
Originally Posted by LGA777
Quote:
Originally Posted by JetBlueAirwaysFan
I am surprised DL is downsizing their LGA-TPA route, but not PBI, although NYC-PBI is very competitive with LCCs. DL's loads were impressive but not very, only being in the upper 60% to mid 70% range.
The CR7's and CR9's in these markets represent one freq to TPA and now 2 to PBI, the rest are still MD88's (for now) ! Keep in mind especially PBI is very low yield.
LGA777
I don't disagree, if you saw my post, I indicated the light loads on LGA-PBI.
Re: DOT wants to auction off LGA slots
Quote:
Originally Posted by JetBlueAirwaysFan
Quote:
Originally Posted by LGA777
Quote:
Originally Posted by JetBlueAirwaysFan
I am surprised DL is downsizing their LGA-TPA route, but not PBI, although NYC-PBI is very competitive with LCCs. DL's loads were impressive but not very, only being in the upper 60% to mid 70% range.
The CR7's and CR9's in these markets represent one freq to TPA and now 2 to PBI, the rest are still MD88's (for now) ! Keep in mind especially PBI is very low yield.
LGA777
I don't disagree, if you saw my post, I indicated the light loads on LGA-PBI.
Loads and yield are two very different things. You can have high loads but low yields and vice versa.
