Newsstand - WaPo: Flights at N.Y.'s JFK To Be Capped (and EWR too)

Sorry if a repost. I'm a little surprised this isn't already posted, but I cannot find it anywhere: Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/18/AR2007121802000.html).

The controversial proposal would limit the number of departures and arrivals at John F. Kennedy International Airport while setting the stage for a similar flight ceiling at nearby Newark Liberty International Airport, according to federal sources. Flights at the third major New York area airport, LaGuardia, are already capped.

UPDATE: Follow-up article, post-announcement, here (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/19/AR2007121900227.html). It is short now, and will probably be expanded upon. Hopefully the link will remain accurate.

There's a summary of the AP version of the story here (http://65.36.138.212/publicus/blog/read.asp?BlogID=8&ID=8367).

Islip and HPN and maybe even PHL could see some gain from this.

Good. It's about time. I like how the association is carping that it's anti-consumer. Well, is it any more so than scheduling a bunch of flights that never arrive on time?

As to the existing problem that the current carriers may have to pay for landing slots in the future... SO????? Here's my new system. Scheduling an operation (takeoff or landing) is free until there are more than 80 requests in a given hour. When the 81st request for a slot comes in, the auction starts at $1.00. Everyone willing to pay $1.00 keeps their slot. Move to $2.00. Everyone willing to pay that keeps their slot. Repeat until someone is not willing to pay. Fair's fair. The "slot" is a public resource that up until now was being given away for free, now too many airlines are taking too much advantage of it (by scheduling tiny planes that take up scarce slots), so, now you might have to pay. Get over it airlines!

And if you're that afraid of a landing fee driving up the cost and making things uncompetitive..... bring a bigger plane and spread that cost out among more people. Fair's fair.

PS: Bring on the widebody jets for midcon and transcon flights, and bring on the additional flights into HPN. This is all VERY consumer friendly.

Air Travelers Association Asks Secretary Peters -- What Do Auctions of Slots At JFK Airport Have to Do with Reducing Delays and Congestion in the New York/Newark Area?

Source: http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/071219/20071219005260.html?.v=1

If this leads to bigger birds and fewer CRJs I won't complain.

NEW YORK: Analysts view established carriers such as JetBlue Airways Corp. and Continental Airlines Inc. as winners — and smaller startups or any carrier looking to grow as losers — under the federal government's plan to limit the number of hourly flights at New York area airports.

Source: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/12/19/america/Flight-Delays-Winners.php

It is hard to see how price rises won't be a result of this. But given the demand and supply situation, this was going to happen anyway unless larger planes were used to transport.

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration's plan for reducing airport delays represents a victory for major airlines and a mixed bag for consumers, and it presents one big question: Will it work?

Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119807400769739435.html?mod=yahoo_hs&ru=yahoo