FTC Submits Staff Comment to FAA on Proposed Congestion Management Rule for LaGuardia Airport

The Federal Trade Commission has approved a staff comment to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on a proposed congestion management rule for LaGuardia Airport.

As part of a proposal to alleviate congestion on LaGuardia’s runways, the FAA has proposed auctioning a limited number of landing and take-off slots for a 10-year ownership period. The comment prepared by staff of the FTC’s Bureau of Economics supports the FAA’s effort, finding the measured introduction of an auction a reasonable approach to improving the current efficiency of slot allocation. In the comment, staff also explains that it is important to consider carefully the design of any auction mechanism, noting that it should be tailored to the specific features of the industry and publicly vetted. Staff also urges the FAA to consider congestion pricing as an additional option to improve the current allocation of landing and take-off slots.

The FTC vote approving the staff comment was 4-0. (FTC File No. V080015. The staff contact is Gregory Luib, Office of Policy Planning, 202-326-3249.)

Copies of the staff comment can be found as a link to this press release on the Commission’s Web site.

(FYI LaGuardia)