Informing and activating Metro NY Residents on solutions to airport delays and congestion

Airport congestion affects our economy and our lives. But it doesn't have to be that way. Solutions exist for smoother, less maddening air travel. 

BetterAirportsNYNJ.com was established by Regional Plan Association to inform and activate Metro New York residents about the problem of airport congestion and delays, offer real solutions for a better future and build the public consensus necessary to make better airports a reality.

Better airports are within reach. 

Browse through, learn more about the problem and take action.

JFK Runway 13R-31L Closing

Starting today, runway 13R-31L at JFK International, otherwise known as the "Bay Runway" will close for four months as the 14,572-foot long stretch of pavement undergoes repairs.  The runway will be widened from 150 to 200 feet and taxiways will be added in an effort to ease traffic congestion at the airport.  Regional Plan Association is currently partnering with government, business and civic groups in studying long term solutions for reducing delays and managing passenger growth at the region's airports.  Results are expected this fall.

Even though there is no single silver bullet that will solve the NY region's airport woes, some improvements like NextGen will likely be part of the solution. This important technological upgrade of the nation's air traffic control system will have numerous benefits, which we covered in a previous post.

For all its benefits, implementation of NextGen will not be without challenges, one of which will involve negotiating with various labor groups over the duties and responsibilities of an air traffic controller under NextGen. 

According to a recently released J.D. Power and Associates report measuring overall airport satisfaction, New York's three largest airports again received low rankings. Newark and LaGuardia airports received below average rankings for every category measured, including overall satisfaction, accessibility, check in, security, terminal, food and retail services, and baggage claim. Kennedy airport fared only slightly better, with most rankings below average except check in and security, which were both rated average.

The survey also found that the airport experience is the least pleasant for travelers, when compared with hotel and rental car satisfaction.

Tell us what you think about the New York region's airports today!
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The benefits of NextGen continue with ADS-B (Automated Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast). This program uses the GPS constellation and digital communications to replace conventional radar as the means of locating the position of aircraft. 
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NextGen will transform the way aircraft communicate with each other and with air traffic controllers. Currently, most flight information is delivered between aircraft and air traffic controllers via voice communications. With NextGen, much of this information will be transmitted digitally to increase efficiency and decrease the opportunities for error. This will involve upgrading the air traffic control telecommunication systems, laying more fiber and provisioning more satellite bandwidth.
If you've had a sneaking suspicion that flight times have been increasing, you are on to something. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal looked at 50 domestic flights on nine airlines and found that scheduled flight times were 10% longer this March than they were in March of 1996. 

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Today, aircraft must fly from one radio-beacon, or VOR, to another. This is typically not the most direct route, and results in a sort of zig-zag flight path. With NextGen, navigation will be performance-based, thereby improving how precisely an aircraft navigates to its final destination, minimizing course deviation.

Airspace redesign

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The FAA is implementing a four phase plan to redesign the New York/New Jersey/Philadelphia airspace, which should be completed by 2012. These changes should reduce delays, improve travel times, and service reliability.

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Recent Entries

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