Senators from Maryland and Virginia warn Buttigieg: DCA can’t handle increased air traffic.
Senators Push Back Against New Long-Distance Flights at Reagan National Airport
Senators from Maryland and Virginia recently voiced their concerns to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg regarding the addition of new long-distance flights at Reagan National Airport. They argue that the airport, often considered a “small regional airport,” is ill-equipped to handle the increased traffic.
The letter, signed by Sens. Mark Warner (D-VA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), urges changes to federal law to prevent further strain on DCA’s already overburdened infrastructure. Specifically, they oppose the allowance of more nonstop flights between DCA and West Coast cities.
Capacity Concerns and Perimeter Rule
The senators highlight the fact that DCA is currently operating at full capacity. Originally designed to accommodate 15 million passengers, the airport is now on track to serve 25 million passengers this year, thanks in part to previous Congresses adding flights. This influx of 10 million additional passengers has stretched DCA’s resources to the point where it now has the third worst cancellation rate among the busiest airports in the country.
The issue at hand revolves around the perimeter rule, which limits the number of flights traveling more than 1,250 miles from DCA. As both Reagan and Dulles International Airport are federally owned, Congress holds the power to determine their operations. Over the years, lawmakers have made exceptions to the rule, allowing a small number of flights beyond the 1,250-mile limit to cities like Phoenix, Austin, Las Vegas, Seattle, and Denver. In 2012, the FAA reauthorization permitted an additional 16 flights beyond the perimeter.
For nearly six decades, Reagan National Airport has faced restrictions to protect long-haul airline traffic at Dulles. These restrictions aim to maintain a balance between the two airports, with Dulles serving as the primary hub for long-distance flights.
Rebuttal and Mixed Messages
The senators’ letter serves as a rebuttal to a previous letter from Sens. Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and Mike Lee (R-UT), who expressed concerns about consumer and competitive limitations imposed by the perimeter rule. To counter these concerns, the senators highlight a 2020 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that analyzed previous slot exemptions at DCA. The report concluded that the delays caused by the addition of perimeter flights in 2012 were not significant. Additionally, they reference flight delay data from 2019, which shows that DCA’s on-time departures and arrivals are slightly above average compared to other major hub airports.
However, the senators acknowledge a recent internal FAA memo that suggests an increase in daily round-trip operations at DCA would lead to significant delays. The memo indicates that 20 more daily round-trip operations would result in a 25.9% increase in delays, while 25 additional daily round-trip operations would cause delays to rise by 33.2%.
The Virginia and Maryland Senate delegations argue that the GAO reports mentioned in Ossoff and Lee’s letter are irrelevant, as DCA now serves over 25% more passengers than when new flights were last added. They contend that adding more flights without expanding DCA’s capacity would have an even more severe impact on operations.
Looking Ahead
This lobbying battle occurs amidst ongoing negotiations for the reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration bill. Lawmakers have until the end of September to secure the agency’s reauthorization for the next five years.
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