Air Traffic Delays Are Costing New York Billions

A new report from the business-oriented group Partnership For NYC says that local air traffic congestion cost our economy $2.6 billion last year. Delays that stem from the one-third of nationwide flights that go through New York end up having an impact in causing a delay in three-quarters of the nation's flights. Kathryn Wylde, the head of Partnership, thinks that it's time to modernize air-traffic control and routes that planes use nationwide—a move that would cost an estimated $22 billion. Doing so would allow planes to take full advantage of satellite-based air navigation and no longer only use long and straight arrival paths. She thinks that now is the perfect time with the downturn in the economy giving a breather to the heavy stress on air traffic "for all the wrong reasons," much like the lightening of congestion after 9/11. Wylde feels that the billions costing New York represent a much bigger cause for alarm saying, "Not having the air traffic control system is costing us $1.6, $1.7 billion a year. Put those numbers together (with other cities' costs) and $22 billion is going to look like chump change."

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By Billy Parker in News on February 25, 2009 1:56 PM

Comments [rss]

grapesodey

The Port Authority does not "sell slots" at LGA or other airports. The slots / schedules are regulated by the US DOT and the FAA.

Snoopy

The Port Authority? Aren't they the same ones that overseeing the old World Trade Center site reconstruction?

henricus

The disease in all this are the poorly designed (except maybe Newark) airports in the area. LGA is not even capable of a simultaneous landing/takeoff.

There are two options really: 1) Stop selling so many damn slots at LGA. The port authority is well aware that the airport can't handle that many flights in a single day but they go ahead and sell them anyway.

2) Build new runways, which is only real an option at JFK and EWR. The city needs to look at airports like ATL where simultaneous takeoffs/landings are possible thanks to runway separation and a parallel design. Of course, this is a pretty big cost for a cash-strapped city...

Papercutninja

The change in air traffic patterns would likely cause a revolution by the McMansion-living residents of Northern/Central Jersey.

I, for one, welcome the change. I'm sick of sitting at an airport in the bumblefuck south or midwest because LGA, JFK or EWR is backed up.

jaycjay

"The 2008 losses from congestion break down to $676 million in costs for business travelers, $993 million for leisure travelers, $835 million in fuel and staffing costs to the airlines and $136 million to the shipping companies."

It's a jobs program! In these tough economic times we shouldn't be eliminating air traffic delays and cutting peoples' paychecks.

NannyState

Regional high speed rail would end the delays at the airports but so far, Obama's people aren't getting on board. But a maglev from Vegas to Anaheim is underway, in no part thanks to a funding proposition that passed in California. WTF, NY?