Port Authority Will Block U.S. Plan to Auction Airport Slots

[Amish RakeFight]

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2...s-plan-to-auction-airport-slots/index.html?hp

August 4, 2008, 12:42 pm
Port Authority Will Block U.S. Plan to Auction Airport Slots

By Sewell Chan

Defying the Bush administration, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced on Monday that it would block any flights that result from the federal government’s plan to auction off departure and arrival slots at the three airports in the New York region. The Port Authority said the federal plan would “have a severe negative impact” on air travel and “would be illegal without Congressional authorization.”

The Port Authority’s decision contradicts a much-debated proposal that was introduced last year by the United States Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration, which want to introduce market-based pricing schemes as a way to reduce flight delays, and could result in a legal showdown between the federal agencies and the Port Authority.

The Port Authority, which has added its voice to a chorus of Democratic critics of the Bush administration’s plan, said it was acting “to prevent airline ticket prices from sharply increasing,” by an estimated 12 percent. The authority, which convened a task force on flight delays last year , said the auctions “would increase ticket prices while doing nothing to relieve or mitigate delays and congestion” and would reduce service between the New York region and small and medium-sized markets.


Moments after the Port Authority’s announcement, Senator Charles E. Schumer, who has tried to block the plan through an amendment to an appropriations bill, said in a statement:

The D.O.T. appears hell-bent on jamming this unworkable plan down the throats of the Port Authority and New York City air travelers, but we are going to fight them every step of the way. The Port Authority is absolutely right to block the D.O.T.’s efforts. The bottom line is this harebrained, untested scheme will cause chaos at our airports, raise fares, and reduce travel options and not ease delays one bit. The D.O.T. needs to back down from this crusade and finally take the obvious steps of updating antiquated technology and fully staffing New York’s air traffic control towers so we can finally deliver some long overdue relief.​

The Port Authority, which is in charge of the Kennedy, La Guardia and Newark Liberty airports, filed a notice of proposed action banning flight activity for slots acquired by auction. The action would also prohibit any other use of the airports — like the lease of gate space in terminals or parking positions on the airfield — by aircraft that acquired slots by auction. An exception would be made for aircraft emergencies. As required, the authority opened the proposed action for public comment, which must be received by Aug. 18.

The auction plan was the subject of a fierce debate during a Congressional hearing in Washington last month, as City Room reported.


At the hearing, Mr. Schumer blamed flight delays in large part on the failure to adequately fill vacancies among air-traffic controllers, while D. J. Gribbin, the general counsel to the United States Department of Transportation, defended the auction plan, saying in a prepared statement:

Although market-based mechanisms are the most effective way to allocate scarce resources—like slots—we have taken a very conservative approach to introducing these mechanisms with this proposal. The vast majority of hourly operations at the airport, as much as 90 percent or more, would be “grandfathered” and leased to the existing operators for non-monetary consideration. The market-based aspect of our proposal involves auctioning off leases for only a limited number of the remaining slots.​

At the heart of the debate is a basic disagreement over the cause of worsening flight delays. Mr. Schumer and the Port Authority have put most of the blame on antiquated technology and vacancies among air-traffic controllers, while federal authorities believe, as Mr. Gribbin said in June, that “a lack of competition keeps fares high” by helping large airlines to maintain their dominance of the market while operating inefficiently.

 

[ifly4u]

So what else is new the Port Authority wants to have it's cake and eat it too. I thought they said the reason for delays was too many RJ's, now it's ATC. These are the same people who wanted to ban RJ's last summer and now they're fretting they might lose service with slots. They are trying whatever way they can to maintain the status quo and blaming everyone else for the problems it creates. Let them eat cake I say.

 

[SkiFishFly]

Schumer is an idiot. Anyone who has ever sat in the mess at LGA knows it wouldn't matter how many people are in the control tower/approach etc. There are just too damn many airplanes all trying to come and go at the same time.

Raise landing fees across the board or set a minimum number of seats or a limited number of slots - just do something.

LGA on my schedule is always good for an extra hour or two of pay. Usually not so good on the last day of a four day - so much for making the flight home...

 

[airlinepilot]

Last time I check a 40 seat RJ or prop took up the same amount of airspace as a 737. They should charge a landing fee penalty anytime a aircraft with less than 100 seats lands.

 

[Saluki Dawg]

I think Schumer is afraid that WN is going to invade LGA, EWR, or JFK if slots and gates were to be put up for auction. He's all about protecting the encumbant Airlines, unless they are B6, then slots and gates magically appear.

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

I think Schumer is afraid that WN is going to invade LGA, EWR, or JFK if slots and gates were to be put up for auction. He's all about protecting the encumbant Airlines, unless they are B6, then slots and gates magically appear.

Suddenly, the airline who avoids the hubs is interested in going to them?? NOW you guys want a piece of the hub action all in the name of playing "fair"??

What happened to NEW YORK AREA (ISP) in your edgy and cool marketing plans?? What's the matter?? Not profitable anymore?? Explain why should slots be just handed over to you...enquiring minds and all.....

 

[AA717driver]

Bull! This is about control. Tony Soprano is green with envy at the NYPA...

They have evolved into a shadow government. I hate Congress but after being #40 for takeoff at LGA the other day (nice, sunny, no wind) something needs to be done and it's clear that the NYPA and New York's politicians aren't concerned with this situation.

How much fuel is wasted by this bull$h!t? TC

 

[Dizel8]

I think Schumer is afraid that WN is going to invade LGA, EWR, or JFK if slots and gates were to be put up for auction. He's all about protecting the encumbant Airlines, unless they are B6, then slots and gates magically appear.

You already have your own private airport in Love!

 

[Dizel8]

So what else is new the Port Authority wants to have it's cake and eat it too. I thought they said the reason for delays was too many RJ's, now it's ATC.

The PANYNJ was not happy about the slots imposed on JFK, since they believe the airport is capable of handling more airplanes. Now we all know this to be a fallacy considering JFK continues to suffer from Volume delays.

The infestation of RJ's was hurting JFK, cannot remember the exact number, but one airline initiated a dramatic increase in RJ flying into JFK, further, this particular airline also brought in Dash-8's to liven things up a bit. The end result was similar to when they removed slots at LGA, even longer delays on a daily basis.

The current proposal would do little to ease congestion, not sure what the point is of it, plenty of competetion in the New York market and air fares, although they have increased a bit over the last year, are still dirt cheap, particularily in light of the price of oil.

The New York airspace redesign appears to be going no where fast and it is long overdue. While it might not erase congestion, it certainly could help.