Senators Want to Abolish LGA Perimeter Rule (Wow)

[PhilDernerJr]

http://www.nysun.com/article/18053

I think this is very big.

The Port Authority has always liked the Perimeter Rule because is supposedly evens out the market among the three airports. It would, however, really help out the US Airways/ America West merger if they can fly to those western destinations from LGA.

As enthusiasts, we'd probably get a lot more excited traffic. Imagine American wanting to bring A300s back to LGA for certain flights and asking that the piers be strengthened even more to support them. Maybe some airlines will bring in more 767s as well. Delta would finally get their chance to fly to Salt Lake City.

Slots are an issue though. We can't see a repeat of the delays that we saw in 2000. As long as they don't pack in more flight than they could handle, I don't think it would be that bad.

I assume that regional traffic would go down a bit. Some airlines will probably want to fly to farther business destinations on the west coast and might dump flights to upstate NY and such. Would regional flights dip so much that they would have to shift such short operations to another airport? Perhaps create the need for that fourth airport that they were discussing a few months back?

What effect do you think this will have on regional operations at LGA, delay-issues and surrounding airports?

[T-Bird76]

Not knowing the exact numbers and what the airlines are thinking I'd best guess to say I don't think you'd see a huge shift in RJ traffic, some yes but not a total 180. Unless airlines like Delta and AA shift their RJ focus to JFK to free up slots, which might be viable now that AirTrain is up, and running. The old issue that JFK is hard to get to from Manhattan really doesn't apply anymore.

I'd wager to say something along the lines what you mentioned Phil. That some RJ slots might be replaced with mainline to more popular business and leisure destinations.

Certainly I think you'd see service to Delta's and United's west coast hubs. Whether or not they use anything large might depend on the impact it would have on yields to and from JFK. There's no reason to operate NYC to SLC/DEN/SFO or even LAX if your simply taking the same amount of passengers and splitting them between to airports and flying half empty planes out of each. Convince and choice is one thing but profit is another. A lot is going to depend on what the market looks like a year or two from now. If the airlines start making money again and the demand is there I think you’ll see JFK/LGA, and EWR really start to take-off with new service.

[PhilDernerJr]

I disagree about the AirTrain solving the "tougher to get to JFK" issue. No one likes the AirTrain, you need to transfer which is very annoying and it's an extra $5. I think it was the biggest waste of my tax dollars. But that's for another thread maybe.

[Matt Molnar]

I'm all for eliminating the rule, it would probably make a lot of people's lives easier. The PA shouldn't care which of their airports is used for what....they make money no matter what.

That said, a fully loaded transcontinental 767 or A320 taking off from LGA doesn't seem like it would be the safest thing. :?

[Tom_Turner]

Does that AirTrain carry more passengers than employees to JFK? I wonder.

Would be nice to see ATA Tri-Star LAX-LGA. we know those can land at LGA. :)

[PhilDernerJr]

Certainly I think you'd see service to Delta's and United's west coast hubs. Whether or not they use anything large might depend on the impact it would have on yields to and from JFK. There's no reason to operate NYC to SLC/DEN/SFO or even LAX if your simply taking the same amount of passengers and splitting them between to airports and flying half empty planes out of each. Convince and choice is one thing but profit is another. A lot is going to depend on what the market looks like a year or two from now. If the airlines start making money again and the demand is there I think you’ll see JFK/LGA, and EWR really start to take-off with new service.

You've got to remember the appeal of LGA being the close-in businessman's airport. Just the speed at which one cna get from Manhattan to LGA is enough to make it more appetizing for businesspeople going to the West Coast.

Any negative effects on JFK? JFK is dead enough, don't you think?

How, if at all, do you think JetBlue will handle no perimeters at LGA?