Sep 24, 2007
AIRPLANES OVERHEAD:
Shays fights FAA plan
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Congressman Christopher Shays (CT-4), and two New Jersey congressmen offered an amendment last week to H.R. 2881, the FAA Reauthorization Act, to require the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to investigate the possibility of use market-based strategies for air congestion reduction as an alternative to the FAA Airspace Redesign plan.
The amendment, which is designed to evaluate the FAA’s claim that the airspace redesign is the only solution to reduce congestion at these airports, passed the House by voice vote.
The plan would increase the number of aircraft over Ridgefield and Fairfield County in general.
“I oppose the FAA’s integrated airspace alternative because it will route more air traffic over residential neighborhoods, and have repeatedly shared my deep concerns, and the concerns of area residents with the FAA,” said Mr. Shays, an outspoken critic of the FAA plan.
Mr. Shays added, “I will continue to fight this proposal and work to help other members understand why the FAA simply must consider the quality of life issue. This plan brings more planes into the region at the expense of our area’s quality of life. After safety, quality of life should be a primary factor in any airspace redesign, but it was not even considered in this case.”
“Together, we have offered reasonable alternative actions that can be taken by the FAA to decrease airspace traffic without harming the communities’ quality of life. The FAA has not done enough to create a fair and balanced plan. We will continue to fight this plan and force the FAA to hear the concerns of our constituents,” said Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ),
“For more than 20 years, I have been a staunch advocate for reducing aircraft noise over Northern New Jersey. While the safety of passengers, their travel time, and the airline industry’s survival is paramount, people on the ground have a right to a quality of life with a minimum exposure to air noise overhead. This amendment will force the FAA to consider additional options to alleviate flight delays in a manner that will not result in unnecessary aircraft noise,” said Rep. Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (R-NJ).
The report would also have the GAO compare these strategies’ effectiveness against redesigning airspace. These strategies include:
De-peaking strategies
These strategies alleviate congestion and delays at airports during peak travels times, and can require varying degrees of government involvement.
- Airlines may negotiate schedules, so long as government officials are present to comply with anti-trust laws.
- The government might offer de-peaking incentives such as peak hour pricing to reduce scheduling demand, which is known as congestion pricing.
Slots and quotas
The FAA or airports could assign slots to airlines and quotas on how many flights can be scheduled for a particular airport. The only airport in the country that currently utilizes slots is Washington Reagan National Airport. Slots could be assigned through auctions, in which airlines would pay up front fees or monthly leases for slots at each given airport.
The FAA is currently implementing a plan known as the Integrated Airspace Alternative, to redesign the northeast airspace to improve congestion at four of the busiest airports in the United States. This amendment will evaluate the FAA’s and give members of Congress more information to assess the need for the redesign.
© Copyright 2008 by Hersam Acorn Newspapers
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