Sun, Jan 13, 2008

Elizabeth, NJ Mayor Compares FAA Airway Plan to Terrorism

Hyperbole, Or Revisionist History?

As the FAA begins to implement new air routes to relieve air traffic congestion in the busy northeast United States, local politicians, government agencies and activist groups are lodging complaints that range from pertinent, to whiny... to just plain ridiculous.

Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) is located right next door to Elizabeth, NJ. In Mayor Chris Bollwage's words, "The FAA plan will do more harm to the city of Elizabeth than any terrorist incident."

The mayor went on to say, "We live next to the airport, so we have to take some noise, but the FAA stretches fairness," reports the Associated Press.

The new plan allows departing aircraft to fan out in several directions as they climb, rather than stick to a single path, at some of the nation’s busiest airports -- Philadelphia (PHL), Newark (EWR), Kennedy (JFK) and La Guardia (LGA).

This should help reduce the frequent flight delays at these airports, but more people in the densely-populated greater New York area will hear planes overhead. The noise level is expected to be the same as living on a busy road... well, before a New York cabbie starts yelling in the background.

A lawsuit ha been filed in an attempt to stop the plan, perhaps by the very same folks who drive down the noisy streets to fly out of such busy airports, and complain about the flight delays.

How soon some forget that United Airlines Flight 93 departed Newark Liberty International Airport on September 11, 2001... her crew and passengers soon murdered at the hands of real "terrorists..."