The Federal Aviation Administration last night suspended its plan to auction slots at Newark Liberty International Airport next week amid growing uproar and legal pressure from industry groups.
FAA chief counsel yesterday said it would suspend the auction process and conduct a review of the Department of Transportation's right to implement the auction plan, which the Air Transport Association and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey claimed to be illegal.
"We are pleased that the FAA Office of Dispute Resolution Acquisition has granted our request for suspension of the Sept. 3 auction of two slots at Newark airport and fully expect that the process will result in a determination that FAA lacks the legal authority to conduct the auction," said ATA, which earlier this month launched a lawsuit, later joined by the Port Authority, to fight the government's plan
(BTNonline, Aug. 26).
Continental Airlines in a statement said the suspension "has the potential to give the DOT and FAA more time to review and consider the widespread and virtually unanimous opposition to the auction plan and to evaluate lawful alternatives to auctions that would actually reduce congestion and delays."