Jay Rockefeller: “Expanding air service to metropolitan airports is always a contentious issue and I believe it is important that we give…”

“Expanding air service to metropolitan airports is always a contentious issue and I believe it is important that we give due consideration to local interests when considering the addition of slots at National Airport. Senators Warner and Webb have significant reservations about moving forward on any changes to existing policy at this time, and I have worked to address these concerns. I believe the agreement reached between Senators Dorgan, Warner, Hutchison, Kyl, Ensign and DeMint is a reasonable way forward. It will allow us to balance the desire for additional slots against the opposition from local residents. Pursuing a more abrupt policy--change such as eliminating the perimeter rule altogether--has significant implications for competition, small community air service, and congestion and delay. Going forward we need to make sure that there are not unintended consequences from such changes, and that service to small communities is preserved. Service to small communities is critical to me, and I cannot support any proposal that will adversely affect such service. I also want to make the Federal Government's role in this process clear. Air carriers treat airport slots like it is their own property-- it is not--it is a privilege. The air transportation system is operated for the benefit of the public interest--not the private interest.”