In testimony before Congress last week, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s aviation director blasted a proposal by the federal government to cap the number of flights at the three New York City area airports and auction the slots.
“The administration has chosen to impose an approach that we, as the airport operator, think is not only illegal but also disastrous,” William R. DeCota said in prepared testimony. “We are concerned that the administration’s approach is fundamentally flawed, unworkable, unresponsive to the problem, and disruptive to the airport, to air carriers’ schedules, and ultimately, to the traveling public ... Auctions are not the solution.”
The proposal by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Aviation Administration to auction the rights to operate flights at JFK, Newark Liberty, and LaGuardia airports would not increase capacity, would reduce choices for customers and increase the cost of flying, according to the Port Authority, which operates the airports. The proposal was designed to address congestion problems at the airports.
The three airports handled 109.1 million passengers in 2007.
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., opposed the proposal, calling it “harebrained,” according to news reports.
