ATA CEO Commends Secretary LaHood on Rescinding NY-Area Slot Auctions

WASHINGTON, May 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the industry trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, today commented on Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary LaHood's plan to rescind slot auctions at New York-area airports and reiterated its desire to continue working with the DOT, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to reduce congestion.

"ATA applauds the Obama administration and Secretary LaHood for moving to cancel the ill-conceived New York-area airport slot auctions," said ATA President and CEO James C. May. "We share Secretary LaHood's concern about airspace congestion in the region and look forward to continuing to work with the DOT, the FAA and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to address the long-standing problems of inadequate system capacity and efficiency. Air transportation is vital to the economic strength of the region and, indeed, to the entire country; it is critically important, as we work toward a broad economic recovery, that impediments to meeting the public demand for air transportation services are removed."

ATA airline members and their affiliates transport more than 90 percent of all U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic. For additional industry information, visit www.airlines.org.