Just as the airlines have begun laying off thousands of workers as Federal support money runs out, they've gotten a bailout of another sort: an FAA ruling that will allow them to lay off hundreds of flights as well.
The Federal Aviation Agency announced last week that it is extending until March 27 waivers that allow airlines to not use all their slots at capacity-controlled airports—New York's JFK and LaGuardia and Washington Reagan National—without losing them; the waivers were due to expire October 24.
Also extended are relaxations of flight-coordination rules at LAX, Chicago O'Hare, New York Newark and San Francisco's SFO. At these airports, while the number of take-off and landing slots is not capped, FAA controls how many flights can land or take-off in a particular time frame.
Because of the slot rules, airlines were ramping up to keep slots in use, even if the flights would be empty or nearly so; losing a slot for non-use would limit the airlines' ability to fly full schedules in the future, and allow unused slots to be claimed by potential rivals, including ultra-low-cost carriers such as Spirit and Allegiant, which have long agitated for more access.
An example of the extension's effect: American has posted schedules for its pre-pandemic 258 flights a day from Washington to keep its slots, although it has only been flying 63 a day. Now it has the freedom to scale its operation to current needs for a few more months.
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