The amendment that Grassley and Harkin will offer to a comprehensive bill to update the air transport system has won the support of Midwest Express Airlines. In addition, the airline said today that the overall bill would provide an opportunity for Midwest Express to fly nonstop from Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC, to Des Moines.
These developments will be discussed tomorrow morning during a congressional field hearing at the airport in Des Moines. Sen. John McCain of Arizona will conduct the hearing as chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee. He is the sponsor of the Air Transportation Improvement Act, S.82, which will soon by considered by the U.S. Senate.
Grassley said the bipartisan amendment he will offer with Harkin would eliminate the current system which limits the number of aircraft allowed to land and take-off at O'Hare, LaGuardia and Kennedy airports.
The plan advocated by Grassley and Harkin would phase-out this slot system in two phases. Six months after passage of the overall bill, new entrant carriers, or those who currently hold fewer than 20 slots for full-sized jets, would be able to immediately receive up to 28 slots for full-sized jets. Small, quiet regional jets and turboprop aircraft that usually serve smaller communities would be exempt from the slot rule. Five years from passage, the slot rule would be eliminated for all aircraft.
"The system in place today was created 30 years ago under very different circumstances than we live in today. The result is unfair treatment to new airlines and small and mid-sized cities. In contrast, our amendment would foster competition and improve the ability of airlines to offer new and more affordable service. That's good for travelers and economic development across Iowa," Grassley said.
The amendment has won the support of the Business Travel Coalition, an organization working to raise awareness of air transport competition issues and to support initiatives to protect and increase competition levels.