New York Opens Up Airport Slots for Auction

A proposal from the US Government to auction a proportion of takeoff and landing slots at New York's international airports has provoked sharp criticism from airlines.

The proposal is aimed at increasing competition between airlines while reducing congestion and airport delays at Newark, JFK and LaGuardia, according to Reuters.

All three airports have suffered from consistent delays in recent years.

This spring, transportation officials will cap the number of flights airlines can offer during peak times at Newark and JFK to reduce congestion – such caps are already in place at LaGuardia.

To ensure caps do not favour major carriers, regulators intend to offer access slots for one takeoff and landing at auction.

Airlines such as Delta, JetBlue, American Airlines and Continental Airlines could face handing back a percentage of their slots for auction under the proposed plan.

Approximately 91 to 179 slots of 1,245 could be sold at JFK and roughly 96 of 1,219 slots could be auctioned at Newark.

Airlines that have had slots removed can potentially re-bid for old slots but will also run the risk of losing them completely.

The Airport Transport Association (ATA), which represents the biggest US airlines, believes the proposals will not reduce delays.

"This experiment will penalise the public," ATA President James May says.

"Instead of focusing on modernising and expanding the airspace infrastructure as the travelling and shipping public expects, the government seeks to curb that demand by making it more costly to fly."

By Alex Hawkes