Airport Check-in: LaGuardia trying to reduce delays
— -- WHAT'S NEW
• Federal aviation authorities have proposed lowering the cap on flights at New York LaGuardia from 75 to 71 per hour in an effort to reduce congestion.
LaGuardia is the USA's most delay-prone major airport, according to Department of Transportation data. The voluntary cap requires participation of the top airlines at the airport — Delta, American and US Airways — and could start in April. Newark Liberty and JFK have similar caps.
• San Francisco International plans to install kiosks where travelers can buy carbon offsets. The program, scheduled to start in the spring, will allow travelers to pay a voluntary fee to "cancel out" the carbon emissions from their flights. Collected funds are invested in environmental projects.
SFO will initially invest $163,000 for the program, in partnership with local carbon offset seller 3Degrees. Denver International canceled plans for a similar program earlier this year due to lack of interest from vendors.
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE
• Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International has received approval from federal aviation officials to lengthen a runway on the south side of the fast-growing airport, a proposal debated and studied since the 1980s.
The extension, which could be completed by 2012, would create a second major runway and, according to the airport, help alleviate delays that have grown along with passenger traffic.
The airport currently has three runways: a 9,000-foot runway on the north side for commercial jets, a 5,276-foot runway on the south side for small aircraft and a diagonal runway used during windy conditions. The south runway would be lengthened to 8,000 feet with an elevated extension that would stretch over a freeway tunnel and freight rail line.
The Federal Aviation Administration has named Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood as one of several airports that need immediate expansion, along with New York LaGuardia, Newark and Chicago O'Hare.
The project faces opposition from local residents who are worried about noise and pollution.
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