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Washington, DC -- {Following up on his quest to improve the quality of air travel, U.S. Rep. Ron Klein (FL-22) Wednesday issued a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), asking the FAA to request winter and spring flight schedules from the major airline carriers that operate in and out of Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. (letter attached and text below)
Klein’s request comes on the heels of a similar request made by the FAA, asking the major airlines that operate in and out of JFK and Newark Airports to release their upcoming flight schedules. The FAA does not normally request flight schedules this far in advance and has done so in this instance to determine if there will be too many flights scheduled, leading to delays. There are concerns that scheduling too many flights in a condensed period of time is leading to delays due to overcrowding of the runways and other associated problems.
Given that Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport has seen a substantial increase in delays over the past year and has been listed by the FAA as one of four airports having the largest challenges towards meeting current demand, Klein is hoping the same assessment can be done to prohibit additional increases in these delays.
“Fort Lauderdale International Airport has experienced some of the sharpest increases in flight delays across the country, and common sense tells us that if we take a proactive step and review the winter and spring flight schedules in advance, we can assess those schedules and potentially help stave off additional flight delays,” said Klein. “I am hopeful that the FAA will follow through on my request and ask the major carriers that operate in and out of Ft. Lauderdale International to release their flight schedules. Tourism is South Florida’s number one industry, and any downturn in tourism due to substandard air travel could be disastrous to the region.”
The following is the text of the letter from Congressman Klein:
September 26, 2007
Robert A. Sturgell
Deputy Administrator
U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Aviation Administration
800 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20591
Dear Deputy Administrator Sturgell:
I understand the FAA has requested from the major carriers operating at JFK International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport the scheduling information for next spring and summer to determine if there will be periods where scheduling will exceed capacity. I applaud the FAA for taking this important step. As I am sure you are well aware, the recent Department of Transportation statistics on air travel confirm that the twenty largest airlines are on pace for their worst year ever for delays, cancellations, and congestion.
One reason often cited for the worsening state of air travel is that airlines are scheduling too many flights during certain times, particularly peak hours, creating unrealistic expectations that flights will land and depart as planned. As we have seen, one small unexpected problem such as inclement weather could cause a massive chain reaction at airports, leaving planes stranded on the tarmac for hours or circling in the air, waiting to land.
It’s imperative that if the airline industry is scheduling flights without sufficient buffer time to allow for errors, then the FAA or even Congress will need to intervene. The first step is examining the schedules, and I applaud your recent decision. Taking this proactive step at two of the busiest airports in the country will help restore public confidence in air travel in the New York City corridor and provide some accountability for the worsening state of air travel in our nation.
My purpose for writing is to ask for the same type of study covering the winter and spring months for Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL). According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, delays at this airport sharply increased over the past year from 19.5% in 2006 to 27.74% in 2007, and recent studies indicate that delays will worsen due to capacity restraints. The FAA cited FLL as one of four airports needing additional capacity to meet current demand in its May 2007 study, “Capacity Needs in the National Airspace System.” Additional flights combined with limited airport space are a recipe for gridlock and frustration.
My concern, however, is not limited to the burdens of air travel. As a peninsula, Florida is unique among states in that it relies heavily on air travel to shuttle visitors and residents in and out of the state. A precipitous increase in delays during the peak season of winter and spring could potentially dissuade many tourists from coming and lead to disastrous effects on Florida’s economy. In 2006, 83.9 million visitors came to Florida, keeping it one of the top travel destinations in the world, and tourism generated $65 billion in direct economic impact, employing 964,700 Floridians. As one of the state’s premiere destinations, the greater Ft. Lauderdale area in 2006 had 10.35 million visitors and generated $8.76 billion in total expenditures. Any downturn in tourism due to substandard air travel could be disastrous for the region.
As a result, I feel it’s imperative to know if airlines are over-scheduling flights to FLL during the busy months of November to April, and I ask that you request airlines to provide you with their scheduling information by October 18, or another date for your determination that is appropriate for a meaningful analysis.
I trust that you will seriously consider my request and look forward to working with you to help restore public confidence with our nation’s aviation system.
Sincerely,
Ron Klein
Member of Congress
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