LaGuardia Airline Slots Auction Proposal
Published April 17th, 2008
The U.S. government’s Transportation Department wants to auction operating rights for flights, known as slots, which are mostly controlled by larger airline’s.
Under a proposal announced Wednesday, airlines would be required to put up a portion of their landing slots at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport for auction each year for the next five years.
Regulators said that reducing some access for big airlines will force them to fly more people on bigger planes, reducing congestion. Auctioning returned slots could ensure access for low-cost airlines shut out of LaGuardia because of space restrictions.
“This proposal increases choices for passengers and adds competition, which is proven to lower fares. It also cuts delays and funds new aviation capacity projects for the region,” Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said in a statement.
