American Airlines and United Airlines voluntarily agreed to trim their Chicago O'Hare International Airport schedules by about 5% during peak hours, with effect from March, adding to efforts by both carriers to cut congestion with de-peaking schemes.
The carriers are the first to take advantage of new antitrust immunity allowed by the recently passed FAA bill to address unprecedented delays at hubs.
The reductions come after three months of separate negotiations between the US Department of Transportation and the two carriers, during which peak-hour on-time arrival rates at the airport have dropped to about half of schedules. The six-month plan will limit operations between 13:00 and 20:00 local time. Both carriers must shift a total of 64 aircraft operations out of this period.
Congestion at O'Hare became worse after slot rules were phased out in summer 2002. American was the first to act to cut delays at the airport two years ago by de-peaking its operations and did the same at Dallas/Fort Worth. United offered a separate de-peaking plan that took effect in February this year.
But United and American approached the FAA seeking a way to trim more flights after massive public pressure from Chicago-area officials. FAA chief counsel Andrew Steinberg says the agency does not expect to receive many similar requests.
FAA administrator Marion Blakey says the order is not a permanent solution to congestion at O'Hare and adds that the 5% reduction would bring operations back to October 2003 levels, which was "the last month where there were no abnormal delays".
The agency will consider market solutions to congestion at New York LaGuardia airport and elsewhere as traffic rebounds and delays increase.
Blakey and transportation secretary Norm Mineta have recently repeatedly warned of looming airport and airspace gridlock.
Source: Airline Business
