FAA Program Aims to Minimize Summer Air Delays

May 24, 2007

FAA Program Aims to Minimize Summer Air Delays
May 24, 2007 –The Federal Aviation Administration has announced plans to expand an air traffic pilot program that reduces flight delays during the summer season. Known as the Airspace Flow Program, the initiative gives airlines the option of either accepting delays for flights scheduled to fly through storms or flying longer routes to safely maneuver around them.

The agency introduced the program last summer at seven locations in the Northeast. On bad weather days at major airports in the region, delays fell by nine percent compared to the year before. Cost savings for the airlines and the flying public from the program are estimated to be $100 million annually.

Before last year, severe storms often forced the FAA to ground flights at affected airports, penalizing flights not scheduled to fly through them. This program allows the FAA to manage traffic by identifying only those flights scheduled to fly through storms and giving them estimated departure times. In turn, the airlines have greater flexibility in planning schedules with less disruption for passengers.

For more information, visit http://www.faa.gov/.