Sun, Oct 11, 2009
Most Airline Travel Concentrated In 26 Major Hubs
A study released Thursday by The Brookings Institution indicates
that, while last year was the first to show a net loss of airline
passengers since the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001,
more and more passengers are experiencing delays at major airports,
and the study says that situation is likely to get worse over
time.
Among the major findings in the study, titled "Expect Delays: An
Analysis of Air Travel Trends in the United States":
- Nearly 99 percent of all U.S. air passengers arrive or depart
from one of the 100 largest metropolitan areas, with the vast
majority of travel concentrated in 26 metropolitan hubs.
- Half of the country’s flights are routes of less than 500
miles, and the busiest corridors travel between the metropolitan
hubs.
- The 26 metropolitan hubs and other large metropolitan areas
host a concentration of national delays—and the situation is
worsening over time.
But the study also blames some of the problem on what it says is
a misapplication of federal AIP grants, saying more money should go
to the major airports due to their passenger load. It says that
sending "the majority" of federal AIP grant money to airports that
don't board the majority of paying passengers "serves to intensify"
the congestion problem being experienced at those 100 major
airports.
The report also says that the most-used commercial airports
should be allowed to exceed the federal passenger use fee,
currently capped at $4.50, to give them more latitude in both
operating funds and long-term investments.
The report concludes that major airports should be "empowered"
to enact their own congestion mitigation policies, and calls for
the formation of a "National Aviation Commission" to address what
it calls the "largest threats to future system operations", as well
as outline "approved projects for the country’s AIP grants
over a five year period, to ensure capital investments go to the
most needed metropolitan areas."
The report suggests that since so many flights are short-haul
(under 500 miles), which it says are inefficient and
environmentally harmful, that the passenger load between those
short-haul cities should be studied when determining where to place
high-speed rail corridors. And it calls for the acceleration of
implementation of new technologies like NextGen as a way to ease
congestion.
The report ignores the role of GA, Business Aviation, and
regional airports in easing the congestion problem at those 100
largest airports.
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