Centerlines - April 2008 - (Page 12) POLICY CENTER Airports Play Critical Role in Managing Congestion, Adding Capacity I F Y O U G O O G L E the phrase “airline delays in 2007,” in a quartersecond you will be presented with about 1,790,000 hits. Needless to say it was a very tough year with no quick fixes identified to help passengers. However, discussions with Department of Transportation (DOT), airports, domestic and international airlines as well as general aviation, did result in more recognition by the federal government about the important role airports must play in managing congestion. We are not talking revolutionary change, but some small important steps were taken with DOT’s issuance of The Notice the reliever in its landing fee. In addition, DOT has proposed that airports are permitted to charge a two-part landing fee, consisting of both the traditional weight-based fee as well as a per-operation charge. By introducing a fixed, per-operation component, airports can encourage airlines to more efficiently utilize scarce airspace capacity or shift operations to other underutilized airports which serve the same market. We agree that these proposed amendments will ultimately benefit passengers. ACI-NA has long been on record that airport proprietors are in the best position to manage the use of the facilities they planned, designed, financed, built and currently operate. We are pleased that DOT has recognized ACI-NA has long been on record that airport proprietors are in the best position to manage the use of the facilities they planned, designed, financed, built and currently operate. of Proposed Amendment to Policy Statement on airport rates and charges. Under the DOT proposal to amend the 1996 Policy Regarding the Establishment of Airport Rates and Charges, a congested airport would: • Be permitted to include costs of capacity enhancing facilities into their rate base while still under construction. • If the airport also owns the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) designated reliever for the region, it could include the cost of the prime role airports play in managing congestion. Airport proprietors have the proper DEBBY MCELROY incentives and are well-situated EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, to respond to idiosyncratic local POLICY AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS circumstances. They understand ACI-NA their own facilities, the markets they serve and the roles they play within their regions. Their For more on DOT’s issuance of The Notice of Proposed interest—to have Amendment to Policy Statement on airport rates and air carriers offer charges, including how to access and offer comments, visit: the greatest www.dot.gov/affairs/airportrates.htm number of seats at the lowest cost to as many markets as possible—is in line with FAA and DOT interest in the efficient use of the nation’s airspace. The best solution is to add capacity—and we remain committed to the expansion of airport capacity, wherever possible, and the use of new technologies and procedures both to relieve existing problems of congestion and delay and to provide for the future growth of air transportation in the United States. However, in those limited situations where existing capacity is inadequate to meet demand and significant airfield capacity expansion is infeasible, airports need to be able to use market-based congestion management tools to ensure that passengers are not subjected to extraordinary delays due to overscheduling. The modest measures proposed by the DOT can effectively be combined with programs that recognize the importance of promoting competition and providing service to small communities; these are essential components of any program designed to align demand with capacity at congested airports. WEBLINK 12 CENTERLINES | APRIL 2008 http://www.dot.gov/affairs/airportrates.htm
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