Continental Airlines stated that it shares the serious concerns raised by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey regarding the U.S. Department of Transportation’s continuing efforts to auction rights to conduct additional flight operations at the New York/New Jersey airports.
Newark, N.J. – These auctions would add even more flights to airports and airspace which are already experiencing significant delays. The DOT’s attempt to add more flights into the nation’s most congested and delayed airports is baffling, given the increased delays at the New York airports and particularly at Newark Liberty.
At the federal government’s request earlier this year, Continental gave up flights in the peak hours at Liberty to assist the FAA in imposing caps on flight operations at Liberty and reducing these unacceptable delays. Despite the caps and Continental’s reduction of flights during the peak hours, delays at Liberty since the introduction of the caps have actually increased.
Continental shares the Port Authority’s view that the DOT should abandon its fixation with auctions, as auctions are simply another tax on an already overburdened and financially fragile industry. The DOT should instead focus on modernizing the air traffic control system to increase the capacity of the New York/New Jersey airspace.
„Every day, huge amounts of fuel are wastefully burned and thousands of passengers are inconvenienced due to delays and congestion at Liberty and in the New York airspace,“ said a Continental spokesperson. „Auctions of flight operations are nothing more than an illegal taking and a disguised tax, and will do nothing to reduce delays and congestion.“
Newark Liberty has the potential to operate at higher volumes, but only if the Administration and Congress can make meaningful progress in funding and implementing new-technology air traffic control systems.
Continental has taken many steps to cope with operating a major hub in the midst of the nation’s most congested airspace. Continental removed flights from the peak hours and smoothed them into other hours of operation to reduce the surges of flights that can clog the airport and airspace. Continental also implemented customer service programs to limit long taxi delays and to assist travelers who are affected by them. It is also installing a new real-time ground-traffic monitoring system to help optimize the positioning and movement of Continental aircraft on the ground.
Despite Continental’s efforts and the FAA imposed flight operation caps at Newark Liberty, delays have increased during peak hours and passengers have suffered because of the federal government’s failure to modernize the air traffic control infrastructure.
Continental will continue to work with the Port Authority, the DOT, the FAA and all the other parties who have a stake in this process to improve the capacity and reduce the congestion of Newark Liberty and the New York airspace.
