HERNDON, Va. — Fewer flights will go in and out of New York City airports at the busiest times to try to ease chronic nationwide air travel delays, the government said Wednesday. But one analyst noted the move may cost consumers more.
Transportation Secretary Mary Peters made the announcement after months of closed-door wrangling with the airlines over how to curb air traffic around New York City’s three major airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty Airport in New Jersey.
Delays often begin in the congested New York area then spread across the nation.
Under new rules that take effect in March, JFK will only be allowed 82 or 83 flights per hour at peak times, down significantly from the 90 to 100 that had been scheduled this past summer. Undetermined caps will go into effect at Newark; LaGuardia already has limits on flights.
Limiting the number of flights at popular travel times may lead to higher ticket prices or force some people to travel at inconvenient times, the Port Authority director said.
“A tighter seat supply could enable airlines to raise prices,” said Ray Neidl, an analyst at Calyon Securities in New York.
The region’s three major airports have the worst on-time arrival record of all major U.S. airports through October. Aviation officials say delays in New York have a cascade effect throughout the system causing three-quarters of all flight delays in the nation.
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