Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

US Caps JFK Flights to Ease Delays

Move designed to keep airports elsewhere on time

By Jane Yager,  Newser Staff

Posted Dec 19, 2007 4:59 PM CST

(Newser) – Transportation officials today capped the number of flights per hour at New York's JFK airport in a bid to keep flight delays from cascading around the country, the New York Times reports. Starting in March, JFK will be allowed up to 83 flights an hour, down from about 100 at peak times this summer. Newark's Liberty airport will get similar limits, but those numbers have yet to be determined.

"Absent intervention, next summer would have been even worse than the summer of '07," said transportation chief Mary Peters. Through October, about a quarter of all flights at JFK had been delayed, canceled, or diverted, the Washington Post notes. Though New York's airspace is especially congested, only LaGuardia currently caps flights. 

Airline passengers wait to be helped at the Air Canada counter at  LaGuardia Airport Friday, June 8, 2007  in New York. A cascading computer failure in the nation's air-traffic control system caused severe flight delays and some cancellations in New York City and along the East Coast Friday. (AP Photo/Frank...
Airline passengers wait to be helped at the Air Canada counter at LaGuardia Airport Friday, June 8, 2007 in New York. A cascading computer failure in the nation's air-traffic control system caused severe...   (Associated Press)
Graphic shows airline delay statistics; two sizes; 1c x 3 inches; 46.5 mm x 76.2 mm; 2c x 4 1/4 inches; 96.3 mm x 108 mm
Graphic shows airline delay statistics; two sizes; 1c x 3 inches; 46.5 mm x 76.2 mm; 2c x 4 1/4 inches; 96.3 mm x 108 mm   (Associated Press)
Airline passengers watch for flight delays on the monitors throughout LaGuardia Airport in this June 8, 2007 file photo in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, file)
Airline passengers watch for flight delays on the monitors throughout LaGuardia Airport in this June 8, 2007 file photo in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, file)   (Associated Press)
Airplanes line the runway at  LaGuardia Airport in this June 8, 2007 file photo in New York.  U.S. airline delays are at their highest level in at least 13 years, and analysts say fliers can expect more of the same for the rest of the summer. The Department of...
Airplanes line the runway at LaGuardia Airport in this June 8, 2007 file photo in New York. U.S. airline delays are at their highest level in at least 13 years, and analysts say fliers can expect more...   (Associated Press)
Airline passengers watch for flight delays on the monitors throughout LaGuardia Airport Friday, June 8, 2007  in New York. A cascading computer failure in the nation's air-traffic control system caused severe flight delays and some cancellations in New York City and along the East Coast Friday. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Airline passengers watch for flight delays on the monitors throughout LaGuardia Airport Friday, June 8, 2007 in New York. A cascading computer failure in the nation's air-traffic control system caused...   (Associated Press)
Airline passengers navigate crowded walkways at LaGuardia Airport, Friday, June 8, 2007, in New York. A cascading computer failure in the nation's air-traffic control system caused severe flight delays and some cancellations in New York City and along the East Coast Friday. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
Airline passengers navigate crowded walkways at LaGuardia Airport, Friday, June 8, 2007, in New York. A cascading computer failure in the nation's air-traffic control system caused severe flight delays...   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Be the first to comment on this story.

More Newser Stories

Storm Snarls NE Flights

Most Delayed Flights Come From New York

Prez Orders Action to Reduce Flight Delays

Flight Attendant Freaks Out, Flees Plane

Newark Tops Worst Airport List


NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne