The U.S. aviation regulators said on Wednesday it will temporarily reduce minimum flight requirements for airlines at congested New York City-area airports and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to address summer congestion issues, citing air traffic controller staffing levels.
The Federal Aviation Administration FAA agreed to allow Delta Air Lines and United Airlines to temporarily return up to 10% of their seats and flights at New York airports and National, with the condition that they are not backfilled by other carriers.
The FAA said the decision will give airlines the ability to reduce operations during the peak summer travel period, which is likely to be exacerbated by the effects of Air Traffic Controller staffing shortfalls. Airlines can lose their slots at congested airports if they don't use them at least 80% of the time.
The FAA expects airlines to take actions to minimize the impact on passengers, including operating larger aircraft. The FAA will convene a New York airspace summit with airlines and others this month to discuss ways to improve the country's most complex and congested airspace.
The FAA said staffing levels at the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control remain below targets. The agency said that it will resign approximately 100 square miles of Newark airspace from Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control later this year.