Wake Up! PDK Could Grow As a Solution to Air Traffic Delays

During a United States House Committee meeting on aviation noise policy in 1990 Chairman James Oberstar said, “I think it is clear most airports…just growed like topsy. And they do. They just sort of developed.” Unfortunately, this describes PDK Airport. The inattention to policy and oversight by our elected officials through the years along with community apathy has allowed this to happen. Is this how PDK will become a commercial airport?

The cause for concern is two-fold. One, the Federal Aviation Administration has called for the doubling of airport capacity by 2020; two, the numerous delays of the air traffic system have the aviation industry looking for solutions to congestion. One solution being considered is asking reliever airports to take on some of the traffic of major airports. Since PDK is a reliever airport for Hartsfield International Airport, this solution should be of concern to the surrounding community. Past experience shows decisions are made and adopted without meaningful public discussion and with even less consideration given to the impacts on the nearby community.

It is time to be proactive. Do not leave this to the pro-airport expansion groups. Write your Elected Officials now about keeping regularly scheduled service out of PDK Airport.

The following is an excerpt from an ABC News report. (To read the entire article click here.) Also visit US-Citizens Aviation Watch Association for more information.

The Big Fix - The Pros and Cons of Options to Cut Flight Delays

Too Congested? Send Those Planes Elsewhere!

Another possible relief valve can be found in the smaller airports in outlying areas that may be more feasible for fliers than before. So-called reliever airports could pick up the slack for big city airports and offer a foot in the door for smaller airlines. For example, in the New York City area, Southwest Airlines operates out of MacArthur Airport in Islip, Long Island.

In Boston, MassPort has promoted other airports within its network and in neighboring states, such as T.F. Green International Airport in Warwick, R.I., and Manchester Airport in New Hampshire, to ease pressure on Logan.

"We have so many underutilized facilities that have great aviation assets," said Buckingham. "To leave those basically empty or just beneath their capacity makes no sense when the hub airports are experiencing such a crunch. We want to reserve Logan for its highest and best use from a customer perspective: We should be the international gateway, the long-haul airport for New England. We should provide key point-to-point service for the Metro Boston area. But we do not have to be all things to all people."

Administrators point to the economic benefits of reliever airports, spreading the economic benefits of commercial aviation throughout a region.

In addition, decommissioned military bases and general aviation, or private, airfields may expand to bring in commercial service. Westchester County Airport in White Plains, N.Y., which was a private field and home of an Air National Guard Unit, now serves a million passengers a year through American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways. And Pan Am recently began service to Sanford International Airport, a facility about 16 miles from downtown Orlando, Fla., which is primarily used for private and charter flights.

Terminals Are Quiet ... Almost Too Quiet

But reliever airports also bring dissent from communities, and the unhappy feeling among carriers that customers don't want to use a smaller airport miles from their destination. If you build it, will they come?

MidAmerica Airport, which is adjacent to Scott Air Force Base in St. Clair County, Ill., opened almost three years ago in the hope that passengers could be lured away form the increasingly congested Lambert International Airport in nearby St. Louis. That airport is proposing a $2.6 billion expansion program, and is facing considerable community opposition.

But the terminal at MidAmerica is pretty much vacant; Pan Am is its only commercial carrier.

David Stempler of the Air Travelers Association says reliever airports can suffer from the fact that no one wants to fly there. Passengers who are headed for or departing St. Louis might find MidAmerica attractive. "To the extent you have discount carriers at some of these locations certainly will entice people to go there," Stempler said. But connecting passengers switching to another flight for some other city will not use it, because there is nowhere for them to go.

It's a chicken-and-the-egg thing: The airlines are only going to send planes to places where they think there are going to be passengers, and passengers will only go where there are planes.

"You could develop and expand these regional airports, but I don't think you should necessarily force airlines or companies to go there," he said. "Communities might want to incentivize them," by offering lower rents, lower landing fees, and access to public transportation.