President Orders Action on Flight Delay Crisis

[Matt Molnar]

Push for Action on Flight Delays
By MATTHEW L. WALD and JEFF BAILEY
Published: September 28, 2007

WASHINGTON, Sept. 27 — After the worst summer of airline delays on record, President Bush on Thursday ordered transportation officials to work with airline executives to reduce delays in the nation’s overcrowded airspaces, beginning in New York.

White House officials said they were considering options like capping the number of flights and allowing airports to charge higher fees to airlines for landing at the busiest times of the day. The administration is also considering rules that would require airlines to provide passengers with more information about frequently delayed flights and give more compensation to travelers who are bumped from flights.

“We’ve got a problem, we understand there’s a problem, and we’re going to address the problem,” President Bush said after calling Mary E. Peters, the secretary of transportation, and aviation officials to the Oval Office for a well-publicized meeting. More...

[DHG750R]

The problems at JFK are a direct result of the DOT’s & FAA’s policy of issuing slot excemptions and later eliminating slots altogether. For example the AIR21 which nearly brought LGA to gridlock on even the best wx days. Thankfully the LGA decision was reversed soon afterward. The JFK and EWR situation has not been resolved – yet.

http://www.dot.gov/affairs/2000/dot7900.htm


At JFK & EWR , it is causing a similar situation , in 1999 Jetblue was granted 75 “slot excemptions” in order to begin operations, as we all know they operate many more than 75 flights a day there now. http://leahy.senate.gov/press/199909/990916b.html
Under the same premise , Jetblue has also began service at LGA and EWR .

The FAA & DOT opened the door to more flights by more airlines , without increasing the capacity of the airport or airspace.

[mirrodie]

Schumer was on the radio toting the same concerns late last week. This was of course though after HIS travel plans were affected by delays.

[T-Bird76]

I wish I could find the story...but Clinton said the same dam thing ten years ago! The reauthorization bill that was just passed is a freaking joke! It does very little to relieve delays but you'll be happy to know congress made sure that while you're sitting 10000000000th inline for take off the lavs will work...