DOT News Masthead

DOT 42-02  
Friday, April 19, 2002 
Contact:  Bill Mosley  
Tel.:  (202) 366-5571


DOT Sets New Date for Comments on Market-based Solutions to Relieve Airport Congestion and Delay

The U.S. Department of Transportation today established a new closing date for public comments on the Aug. 21, 2001 Federal Register notice regarding the possible use of market-based solutions to relieve airport congestion and delay.

 

The new comment period closes July 22, 90 days after publication of the notice in Monday’s Federal Register.  The department is gathering information on the possible role, feasibility, and effectiveness of using market-based approaches to relieve airline flight delays and congestion at busy airports. 

 

The term “market-based approaches” includes the development and imposition of airport fees that are designed specifically to encourage air carriers to use limited airport capacity in a more efficient manner, including the use of auctions, peak-period fees, or “flat” fees. The department recognized there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to the airport congestion problem.  For this reason it was interested in understanding how market-based approaches, as well as administrative actions, could work today to relieve congestion.

 

The terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 caused the department’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to temporarily cease all non-military flights in the United States and to require airports and airlines to adopt certain security measures prior to the resumption of commercial service.  As a result of the drop-off in traffic, and the dramatic reduction in air carrier operations, there was a significant decrease in congestion at formerly busy airports.  In light of these events, on Nov. 5, 2001, the department suspended for an indefinite period of time the closing date of the comment period on market-based actions to relieve airport congestion and delay.

 

However, new air traffic forecasts by the FAA point to a strong recovery in airline passenger traffic in 2003 and beyond.  Accordingly, the department has decided to establish a new closing date for the proceeding.  Comments to the docket can be accessed electronically at the following Internet address: http://dms.dot.gov, docket number OST-2001-9849.

 

###

 


Briefing Room