[Federal Register: October 25, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 206)]
[Notices]
[Page 60710]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25oc07-117]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
Notice of Airport Level Designation for John F. Kennedy
International Airport for the Summer 2008 Scheduling Season
AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of
Transportation.
ACTION: Notice of schedule coordination.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: Under this notice, the FAA announces that New York's John F.
Kennedy International Airport (JFK) has been designated a Level 3
Coordinated Airport for the summer 2008 scheduling season in accordance
with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Worldwide
Scheduling Guidelines. This notice supercedes the September 24, 2007,
notice that designated JFK a Level 2 Schedules Facilitated Airport. 72
FR 54317. Based on a recently completed capacity analysis, a review of
last summer's demand, the projections for summer 2008, and the agency's
decision to seek voluntary schedule reductions from domestic air
carriers, the FAA has determined that a Level 3 airport declaration is
warranted. The primary coordination constraint is runway/air traffic
control capacity.
JFK is experiencing increased congestion and delay. Comparing the
period of October 2006 through July 2007 to the same period in the
previous year, the average daily operations at JFK increased 23
percent; the average daily arrivals with delays greater than one hour
increased 114 percent; and on-time gate arrivals within 15 minutes of
scheduled time decreased from 69.7 percent to 61.2 percent. The average
taxi-out delay increased 19 percent from 30 to almost 36 minutes. On-
time departures within 15 minutes of scheduled time declined from 74.7
percent to 65.2 percent. Much of this delay is attributed to volume and
is not likely to be entirely mitigated by short-term air traffic
control procedural enhancements, airport or airspace efficiency gains,
or airport infrastructure changes. For example, from February 2007
through July 2007, JFK's average airport capacity was 81 operations per
hour while demand during the busiest hour, 4 p.m., was over 110
scheduled arrivals and departures during summer 2007. Adjacent hours
had fewer scheduled flights but still above the average hourly capacity
rate.
Under a preliminary review of the schedule submissions for summer
2008, the FAA notes that there are proposed schedule increases by
domestic carriers and foreign flag carriers. These proposed schedules
will result in a significant increase of operations at JFK. While JFK
has available capacity for additional flights during some periods of
the day, certain hours are currently beyond capacity and would get only
worse if the schedules were implemented as proposed. Thus, based on the
level of congestion experienced this past summer season, the planned
increases for next summer, and the decision to seek voluntary
reductions of existing schedules from domestic operators through a
scheduling reduction meeting,\1\ an immediate Level 3 designation is
warranted.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ In accordance with 49 U.S.C. 41722, the FAA Acting
Administrator and the Secretary of Transportation have determined
that a scheduling reduction meeting is needed to address peak hour
schedules that exceed capacity. The meeting will begin on October
23, 2007. Notice of the meeting was published in the Federal
Register on October 22, 2007.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The FAA has established a target of 80 total operations per hour at
JFK from 6 a.m. through 9:59 p.m., local time, except for the hours
between 3 p.m. and 7:59 p.m., when the target will be 81 total
operations per hour. A copy of the notice including additional details
of the FAA analyses and the airport's capacity is available on the FAA
Web site at http://www.faa.gov and in Docket No. FAA-2007-29320.
Under this Level 3 designation, the FAA will accept the schedule
information previously submitted to the FAA. The FAA will grant
historic status for the operations of foreign flag air carriers based
on their summer 2007 flights if requested for summer 2008. For domestic
air carriers, the base level of operations, both international and
domestic, will be determined as part of the scheduling reduction
meeting process. The FAA will continue to seek voluntary solutions to
accommodate flight requests but overall demand must be within the
airport's practical capacity if there is to be a successful reduction
of delays. Carriers with new flights planned for peak hours should
consider alternative schedules, especially for those planned in the
late afternoon and evening hours.
ADDRESSES: Any change to schedule information for summer 2008 may be
submitted by mail to Slot Administration Office, AGC-240, Office of the
Chief Counsel, 800 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20591;
facsimile: 202-267-7277; ARINC: DCAYAXD; or by e-mail to:
7-AWA-slotadmin@faa.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Komal K. Jain, Regulations Division,
Office of the Chief Counsel, Federal Aviation Administration, 800
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone number: 202-
267-3073.
Issued in Washington, DC on October 19, 2007.
Rebecca B. MacPherson,
Assistant Chief Counsel for Regulations.
[FR Doc. 07-5269 Filed 10-22-07; 9:30 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M