Dems Push Back on Potential New Flight Rules

(NewsInsights.org) – Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) is one of three serving the DC area. It’s closest to downtown and the most convenient to tourist attractions and government buildings, but it restricts flights to a 1,250-mile perimeter with a few rare exceptions. Senate lawmakers crafting the 2024 Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act recently received pushback from the four Democratic senators regarding proposed new flight rules for DCA.

Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Ben Cardin (D-MD) signed a letter addressed to the chairs and ranking members of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee and the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee regarding proposed changes to DCA “slot and perimeter rules” that might increase the airport’s delays and cancellations. The local lawmakers pointed out that DCA was “overburdened” and already operating over capacity.

The letter mentioned designers had engineered the airport to handle 15 million travelers annually but cited statistics showing the DCA would likely accommodate 25 million passengers this year. Additionally, the group cited figures showing DCA ranked third in the highest number of flight cancellations, and 20 of 22 flights into and out of the airport experienced an average delay of 67 minutes.

They pointed out that scheduling and infrastructure issues currently prohibit expanding the schedule. For example, they noted how the DCA turned away more than 800 customers because parking garages had filled on a holiday weekend in 2022.

The proposed legislation would open 10 new flight slots to the already crowded schedule. Warner and his colleagues reminded their Senate counterparts that the House, on a bipartisan basis, strongly defeated a 2023 FAA Reauthorization Act containing a similar proposal. In that case, the legislation proposed 14 new slots.

The letter stated the Senate must keep safety and “the flying public” as its “primary focus.” It mentioned the interconnectivity of the air travel system and the number of near-misses experienced as air traffic increased. It concluded, “Adding ten additional flights into an already overburdened airport is directly contrary to this goal.”