May 26, 2008
Schumer: Airline Delays Mean NYC Loses Money
Senator Charles Schumer, longtime critic of area airports, seized upon a study that shows delayed flights mean $4.9 billion is lost in the local economy.
The Senate Joint Economic Committee's researchers released a report yesterday (working weekend!) which has some wild stats, like how delayed flights consume an additional 740 million gallons of jet fuel and how 20% of domestic flight time is wasted in delay.
Also: "78% of flight delays in 2007 occurred before take-off, with 58 percent at the gate, and 20 percent during the taxi to the runway" and "94 percent of all flight delays were caused by other flights arriving late, national system delays, or air carrier delays" (the other 6% is security and extreme weather).
As for NYC's JFK, LaGuardia and Newark Airports, the three airports combine for 27 millions of passenger delays and adds up to $5 billion in lost money, including $1.45 billion in passengers' lost time, $1.6 billion for the local economy, and $2.3 billion in airline profits (well, the airlines will start charging $15 for checked bags, so maybe that's okay).
Schumer has previously asked the head of the FAA to resign over the poor state of air travel in the NYC area. He also wants an airport czar to fix things.




Gasbag Schumer is at it again. Notice how his agenda on transportation does not include any mention of La Guardia or JFK:
http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/senate_floor/sf-agenda_transportation.html
Also note, that no bill sponsored or co-sponsored by this individual concerns either airport:
http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/senate_floor/sf-spons_cospons_bills.html
All talk, no action with this guy.
he is a REAL fighter for NY. He cares about the people. He talks all the time about what we should do and have for NY. He speaks every Sunday and points out what the politicians have not done.