[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 81 (Thursday, April 27, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24902-24903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 06-3991]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Submission Deadline for International Slots for the 
Winter 2006 Scheduling Season

AGENCY: Department of Transportation, FAA.

ACTION: notice of submission deadline.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: On October 1, 1999, the FAA amended the regulations governing 
takeoff and landing slots and slot allocation procedures at certain 
High Density Traffic Airports as a result of the ``Open Transborder'' 
Agreement between the Government of the United States and the 
Government of Canada. One element of this final rule established that 
the deadline for submission of requests for international slots will be 
published in a Federal Register notice for each scheduling season. The 
purpose of the amendment is for the FAA deadline for international 
slots requests to coincide with the International Air Transport 
Association (IATA) deadline for submission of slot requests.
    In accordance with this amendment, the FAA announces in this notice 
that the deadline for submitting requests for international slots at 
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) for allocation under 14 CFR 
93.217 is May 11, 2006. The FAA will allocate international slots 
through December 31, 2006 only, as the High Density Rule expires at JFK 
on December 31, 2006. (See 49 U.S.C. 41715(a)(2).) After that date, 
slots will no longer be required for operation at JFK.
    The FAA has designated Chicago's O'Hare International Airport 
(O'Hare) as

[[Page 24903]]

a Level 2, Schedules Facilitated Airport under the IATA Guidelines and 
will review international operations based on runway parameters. The 
FAA requests carriers intending to conduct international service at 
O'Hare for the Winter 2006/07 Scheduling Season to submit their 
intended schedules following the same procedures used for submitting 
requests for slots at JFK. Carriers are advised that this notice does 
not alter or change any coordination procedures conducted by the City 
of Chicago for O'Hare's Terminal 5 facilities.
    Finally, the U.S. scheduling season is consistent with the changes 
in daylight savings time. In accordance with the Energy Policy Act of 
2005 (Pub. L. 109-58), daylight savings time will begin on March 11, 
2007 and end on November 3, 2007. The IATA Northern Winter Scheduling 
Season will end on March 24, 2007, and its Summer Scheduling Season 
will only begin on March 25, 2007. There is a two-week period for which 
the IATA Winter scheduling season will overlap with the U.S. summer 
scheduling season. We recognize this transition period will cause some 
carriers to adjust scheduled times based on their network requirements 
and other considerations. For O'Hare, the FAA will accept carriers' 
schedule requests for the entire IATA Northern Winter Scheduling Season 
(ending on March 24, 2007), even though that will be the first two 
weeks of the U.S. summer scheduling season. This will facilitate 
carriers seeking to confirm schedules at other worldwide slot 
coordinated airports in accordance with the IATA season and 
coordination process. Carriers should clearly indicate any schedule 
differences during the March 11 to 24, 2007, period. The FAA intends to 
provide the maximum practical flexibility to accommodate schedule 
adjustments during this period and does not anticipate any significant 
issues regarding historic rights due to the earlier introduction of 
daylight saving time in the U.S. A deadline for submitting the 
reamining summer schedules for 2007 will by announced in the Federal 
Register by September 2006.
    The Department of Transportation reserves the right to withhold the 
approval of schedules to any foreign air carrier of a country that does 
not provide equivalent rights of access to its airports for U.S. air 
carriers, as determined by the Secretary of Transportation.

DATES: Requests for international slots must be submitted no later than 
May 11, 2006.

ADDRESSES: Requests may be submitted by mail to Slot Administration 
Office, AGC-220 Office of the Chief Counsel, 800 Independence Ave., 
SW., Washington, DC 20591; facsimile: 202-267-7277; ARINC: DCAYAXD; or 
by e-mail to: [email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lorelei Peter, Regulations Division, 
Office of the Chief Counsel, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone number: 202-
267-3073.

    Issued in Washington, DC on April 24, 2006.
James Whitlow,
Deputy Chief Counsel.
[FR Doc. 06-3991 Filed 4-26-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-M