A U.S. Department of Transportation proposal would allow airports to base landing fees on time of day and traffic volume

rather than the "decades-old" practice of linking fees to aircraft weight. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters said the proposal would "make it easier for overcrowded airports to add capacity and reduce delays by encouraging airlines to spread their flights more evenly throughout the day." Air Transport Association president Jim May called DOT's proposal "nothing more than congestion pricing disguised as an airport fee" and said travel costs would increase for consumers.