Delta reduces peak-time departures at JFK

— -- Hoping to avert federal flight restrictions, Delta Air Lines said Wednesday it will voluntarily reduce its peak-time departures at New York John F. Kennedy, one of the most congested airports in the world.

Delta, the largest airline at JFK, announced the changes in advance of a high-profile meeting Thursday in Washington, D.C., of federal aviation regulators and airline executives to discuss ways to relieve record flight delays at New York's airports.

Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters is expected to warn airlines they need to take voluntary steps to reduce congestion at the New York airports or face government restrictions.

At Wednesday's press conference in Manhattan, Delta CEO Richard Anderson said his airline will launch 14 new international routes next summer to Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Although those will increase Delta's flights at JFK, Anderson said the airline will help reduce congestion by lengthening its operating day at JFK and reducing the number of peak period departures.

As a result, Delta's international flights will leave between roughly 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. daily, instead of between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. now. Delta said that will reduce hourly departures during peak times about 6%, to 83 from 88.

"We're doing this responsibly," Anderson said.

Delta executive vice president Glen Hauenstein said Delta will stop using turboprop airplanes at JFK and increase its use of larger two-class jets.

"What we don't need is a (government) regulation that would reduce the flow" of air traffic into and out of New York, he said.

Delta's announcement was the second sign in a week that airlines are fearful the federal government might decide to regulate air traffic volume in New York.

The DOT and the Federal Aviation Administration have been studying ways to reduce congestion at the New York airports. Some airline executives have worried the government might cap the number of flights per hour serving JFK and Newark, the region's two international airports, to reduce delays and improve safety.

Last week, Continental Airlines, which dominates Newark airport, announced it will move 37-seat and-50 seat regional jets from Newark to Cleveland and replace them with larger regional jets and full-size jets.

Continental said its goal is to increase the number of passengers it can fly into and out of Newark without adding to air traffic congestion in the region.

In 2007, Newark airport has been even more delay-plagued than JFK.

Delta's new international routes are part of a massive expansion Delta has been making in New York, and especially JFK, for three years. By summer 2008, 40% of Delta's overall flying will be international, double what it was three years ago.

Delta emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in May, and one of its key strategies was increasing international flights, which command the highest air fares.

As of last month, Delta operated about 188 total daily departures from JFK. That number was up 41% from August 2006, and up 86% from August 2004.

Delta's buildup at JFK is rivaled only by JetBlue's — the JFK-based low-fare carrier has increased its August departures by nearly 89% since August 2004, according to schedule data.