Holland & Knight’s Public Policy & Regulation Team Helps Navigate $5.5 Million in Federal Funds to O’Hare Airport
December 15, 2005
John Buscher - Washington
David Whitestone - Washington
Upgraded navigation system estimated to save airlines $40
million annually.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Holland & Knight client United Airlines and other carriers operating at one
of the nation’s busiest airports
soon will benefit from millions of dollars in savings and fewer flight delays.
John Buscher and David Whitestone of Holland & Knight’s
Washington, D.C. office, successfully advised United Airlines through the
federal appropriations process to obtain $5.5 million in funding for the
installation of upgraded navigation equipment at Chicago’s
O’Hare International Airport and
convinced the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to redesign airspace
corridors at the airport. The FAA announced these congestion mitigation
initiatives last week.
According to published reports, Transportation Department officials estimate
that 40% of U.S. flights each day are affected by backups at O’Hare,
especially in poor weather conditions. The upgraded navigation equipment
includes transmitting devices buried in the runways, which will help direct
planes landing on autopilot and allow for operation in conditions where
visibility is extremely poor. “These
measures will yield immediate benefits for air travelers in Chicago and the
millions more nationwide whose travel is disrupted because of congestion at O’Hare,”
Buscher said. The upgraded navigational equipment, which will be installed next
month, is expected to significantly reduce the number of delays and
cancellations, with estimated cost savings of $40 million annually to those
airlines operating at O’Hare. In
addition, it will provide a major operational improvement for United Airlines
because of its significant operations at the airport.
“We
are pleased to see that the FAA agreed with United Airlines on the importance of
installing this new navigation equipment and the operational improvements that
can be realized by redesigning the airspace around O’Hare
Airport,”
Buscher added. Recognizing the safety and economic benefits of these
improvements, Congress recently urged the FAA to expedite the O’Hare
improvements in a bill that provides funding for the Department of
Transportation and other agencies. “Only
two airports were mentioned in the legislation and one of them happens to be O’Hare
Airport,”
noted Buscher. “The
recommendations advocated by our client, United Airlines, specifically urged the
FAA to install surface detection radar to better handle aircraft on the airport
ground, improve operations and avoid runway incursions. Further, United Airlines
requested that the FAA implement airspace redesign for the O’Hare
traffic environment.”
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Contact: Sonja Gregg-Phelps, (202) 419-2576