SecTrans Mineta has
announced the signing of an order that will significantly reduce
flight congestion and passenger inconvenience at Chicago’s
O’Hare International Airport. Under terms of the order signed
by FAA Administrator Marion Blakey and accepted by both airlines,
American and United have agreed to reduce by 5 percent those
carriers’ operations during the peak hours between 1 p.m. and
8 p.m. This reduction of 62 scheduled flights, which takes
effect in early March and lasts for six months, returns scheduled
O’Hare operations to October 2003 levels, the last month
prior to significant delays.
“Today’s announcement is a significant, first step
toward getting planes into and out of Chicago on time,” said
Secretary Mineta. “While this Department continues
working toward a comprehensive, long-term solution to this
challenge, this order provides American travelers with necessary
and immediate action to alleviate potential travel
delays.”
Secretary Mineta said that the Department would closely monitor
and evaluate the effect this schedule reduction has in relieving
O’Hare delays. “If flight delays return to
unacceptable levels, we will use our authority to consider what
additional steps may be necessary to reduce congestion at
O’Hare,” Secretary Mineta said.
"The public must have confidence that their flights will take
off and land on time," said FAA Administrator Blakey. "The
current level of flight delays at O’Hare is
unacceptable. We had no choice but to call upon the airlines
for relief in the interest of the flying public."
“This announcement is important because we want to keep
people moving,” said Secretary Mineta. “And we
want the economy to grow. Delays cost time and money.
In fact, the economy loses billions of dollars to delays each
year. That is unacceptable.”
While the current congestion at Chicago O’Hare requires
immediate action, the Department of Transportation and the FAA are
implementing a broad, comprehensive approach to increase the
capacity and efficiency of the nation’s airspace
system. Subject to Congressional appropriations, the FAA will
be delivering Airport Improvement Project funding authorized in
Vision 100, including $3.4 billion this fiscal year, to support
increased airport capacity.
Secretary Mineta is
also leading a joint, long-term planning effort with other
government agencies such as NASA, the Departments of Defense,
Commerce, and Homeland Security to map out a future vision for
shared use of the national airspace system.
In addition, the FAA will be convening a national meeting in
March, entitled “Growth without Gridlock,” to address
further improvements to increase national airspace system
capacity. The meeting will focus on new advanced enroute
procedures and airspace redesign in major metropolitan areas.
In the greater Chicago area, the FAA continues its review of the
proposed modernization plan for O’Hare, under development by
the City of Chicago, as well as proposals to build a new South
Suburban Airport.