"End Gridlock on the Runway"
July 22, 2008 – 9:33 amToday’s NY Times has an opinion piece by Secretary of Transportation Mary E. Peters. In this piece, Peters advocates strongly for peak-period or demand-based pricing and notes the inefficiencies presented by the current weight-based fee. She explains economic principles using aviation examples. She notes the contradictory nature of the airlines — they are happy to peak-period price passenger tickets (which is why you’re thinking about booking that Christmas trip today), yet they airlines in turn refuse to pay peak-period prices for landing at congested LGA at 5PM.
In one paragraph she notes that weight-based prices discourage airlines using larger aircraft, a practice which could reduce congestion while providing the same passenger throughput. I believe she could have taken this point even further, but, not surprisingly, seems to have steered clear of any environmental statements. Regional Jets (think American Eagle between DC and NY, 44-50 seats) have a much lower fuel efficiency per seat, and therefore a much higher emission rate per seat than, say a 120-137 seat 737. That statement alone could strengthen the points made in this paper — use larger aircraft, alleviation some congestion, move more passengers with lower GHG per passenger! This study is related to research of mine in progress–watch for a paper coming out soon.
For more information about this topic, check out a press release and listen to a session that the TRB committee I’m on held regarding congestion at the NY airports: Sitting on the Tarmac: Reducing Delays at Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark Airports.
