New York's LaGuardia Most-Delayed Airport in U.S.
W A S H I N G T O N, Jan. 29 -- New York's LaGuardia Airport was thenation's worst for delays last year, with departures and landings held upat an unprecedented rate, government and industry sources said today.
Federal Aviation Administration figures expected to be releasedthis week show more than 61,000 delays at LaGuardia for the year with asurge noted after the federal government permitted more flights there lastsummer.
Sources said 155 of every 1,000 flights — which includes takeoffs andlandings — reported a delay of at least 15 minutes.
"No airport has ever had a rate [figure] in three digits," one sourcefamiliar with the statistics said. "LaGuardia is clearly a record."
LaGuardia was the nation's second-most delayed airport in 1999 with 77of every 1,000 flights reporting delays. Newark International Airport wasfirst that year with 79 out of every 1,000.
Bad weather accounts for most flight delays nationwide but LaGuardia'slimited capacity was a key factor last year, especially when flights wereincreased over the summer to boost competition from smaller cities,according to the sources.
A plan to reduce access to the smallest and most jammed of the threemajor airports in the New York City area will take effect this Wednesday.
A lottery for slots, a way to regulate gate access at airports to limitcongestion or other problems, was held in December to trim new flightsadded at LaGuardia.
The lottery at LaGuardia will regulate service through mid-September,and will only push flight numbers there back to September 2000 levels.However, a permanent solution is under consideration.
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