WASHINGTON, Jan. 14, 2009 – The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today issued the following statement regarding the announcement by the Department of Transportation (DOT) on the final plan to reduce the hourly cap on flight operations at LaGuardia from 75 to 71:
“While the DOT announcement regarding voluntary slot reductions at LaGuardia was expected, ATA has long advocated that the most meaningful way to reduce delays is to fully implement operational and technological improvements – not to artificially constrain demand by measures such as slot reductions and auctions – and to accelerate development and deployment of technology and systems modernization. These measures will reduce flight delays and unnecessary fuel burn/emissions, and open up access to New York area airports.”
ATA airline members and their affiliates transport more than 90 percent of all U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. For additional information about the industry, visit www.airlines.org.
###