Capacity Cuts Minimal in NY

Capacity changes at the New York airports confirm the international focus of manline carriers with regional operations increasing by double digits at JFK and Newark, while regional operations at LaGuardia take an 8.6 percent hit compared to 3.1 percent for mainline departures in the fourth quarter, according to analysis done for Regional Aviation News by OAGback. However, the situation is reversed at Newark and Kennedy where regional operations will grow 18.3 percent and 11.5 percent, respectively. Overall, Kennedy departures are down only one percent with the fourth quarter capacity cuts filed so far by mainline carriers. At LaGuardia and Newark, the capacity cuts yielded 5.8 percent and 0.6 percent, respectively. The differences between LaGuardia and the two other New York airports reflect the fact that Kennedy and Newark are international connecting airports where mainline carriers need the feed, especially from smaller communites where fares are higher becasue of less service, according to Nicole Biser of OAGback, which did the capacity analysis. LaGuardia, on the other hand has no transatlantic service and is largely seen as an origin-and-destination facility. For a complete report see the next issue of Regional Aviation News.