[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 80 (Thursday, April 27, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 19432-19433]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-08532]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Notice of Submission Deadline for Schedule Information for 
Chicago O'Hare International Airport, John F. Kennedy International 
Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Newark Liberty 
International Airport, and San Francisco International Airport for the 
Winter 2017 Scheduling Season

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Department of 
Transportation.

ACTION: Notice of submission deadline.

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SUMMARY: Under this notice, the FAA announces the submission deadline 
of May 11, 2017, for winter 2017 flight schedules at Chicago O'Hare 
International Airport (ORD), John F. Kennedy International Airport 
(JFK), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Newark Liberty 
International Airport (EWR), and San Francisco International Airport 
(SFO), in accordance with the International Air Transport Association 
(IATA) Worldwide Slot Guidelines (WSG). The deadline coincides with the 
schedule submission deadline for the IATA Slot Conference for the 
winter 2017 scheduling season.

DATES: Schedules must be submitted no later than May 11, 2017.

[[Page 19433]]


ADDRESSES: Schedules may be submitted by email to: [email protected]; facsimile: 202-267-7277; or by mail to the Slot 
Administration Office, AGC-200, Office of the Chief Counsel, 800 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Pfingstler, System Operations 
Services, Air Traffic Organization, Federal Aviation Administration, 
600 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone number: 
202-267-6462; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA has designated EWR, LAX, ORD, and 
SFO as IATA Level 2 airports and JFK as an IATA Level 3 airport. The 
FAA currently limits scheduled operations at JFK by Order.\1\
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    \1\ Operating Limitations at John F. Kennedy International 
Airport, 73 FR 3510 (Jan. 18, 2008) as most recently amended 81 FR 
40167 (June 21, 2016).
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    The FAA is primarily concerned about scheduled and other regularly 
conducted commercial operations during peak hours, but carriers may 
submit schedule plans for the entire day. At ORD, the peak hours are 
0700 to 2100 Central Time (1300 to 0300 UTC), at LAX and SFO from 0600 
to 2300 Pacific Time (1400 to 0700 UTC), and at EWR and JFK from 0600 
to 2300 Eastern Time (1100 to 0400 UTC). Carriers should submit 
schedule information in sufficient detail, including, at minimum, the 
operating carrier, flight number, scheduled time of operation, 
frequency, and effective dates. IATA standard schedule information 
format and data elements (Standard Schedules Information Manual or 
SSIM, Chapter 6) may be used. The WSG provides additional information 
on schedule submissions and updates at Level 2 and Level 3 airports.
    The U.S. winter scheduling season for these airports is from 
October 29, 2017, through March 24, 2018, in recognition of the IATA 
northern winter period. The FAA understands there may be differences in 
schedule times due to U.S. daylight saving time dates and will 
accommodate these differences to the extent possible.
    JFK will have construction in 2018 on Runway 13L/31R for 
rehabilitation of pavement and other airfield improvements. The Port 
Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), the airport operator, is 
currently developing the construction phasing plans in consultation 
with FAA, airlines, and other stakeholders. The FAA and the PANYNJ will 
work together to minimize operational disruptions to the extent 
possible, similar to prior runway construction projects. As 
construction plans are developed, the FAA will review alternative 
runway configurations and operating procedures and model potential 
capacity and delay impacts. We expect the PANYNJ will conduct regular 
meetings with the FAA, airlines, and other stakeholders. Those meetings 
and other information provided by the PANYNJ will likely be the best 
source of project updates and potential operational impacts.
    LAX will continue rehabilitation on Runway 7L/25R and taxiways 
during parts of the winter 2017 season. Los Angeles World Airports 
(LAWA), the airport operator, plans construction that will shorten the 
runway length through December. The runway will be limited to departing 
flights. Other airfield construction is not currently estimated to have 
significant operational impacts. LAWA conducts monthly meetings on 
construction updates with FAA local air traffic control, airline 
representatives, and other interested stakeholders. The LAWA meetings 
may be the best source of project updates and potential operational 
impacts.
    The FAA will use hourly runway capacity throughput for the Level 2 
airports in its schedule reviews, considering any differences 
associated with runway construction or other operational factors. The 
FAA regularly reviews operational performance metrics and trends to 
determine if demand, including arrival and departure distribution, 
during certain time periods may create operational issues and assess 
whether schedule adjustments or changes to scheduling limits are 
warranted during those periods.
    There are a few cases where the FAA anticipates potential issues 
for winter 2017. Carriers are encouraged to take these potential issues 
into consideration before submitting schedules for winter 2017 and 
should be prepared to adjust schedules to meet available capacity in 
order to minimize potential congestion and delay. At EWR, the 0700 to 
0859 and 1400-2059 Eastern Time (1200 to 1359 and 1900 to 0159 UTC) 
hours are expected to be the highest demand periods and not all 
requests for new flights are likely to be accommodated during those 
times. At LAX and SFO, the 0700 to 1359 Pacific Time (1500 to 2159 UTC) 
hours are expected to be the highest demand hours. At ORD, the FAA will 
continue to review cumulative demand and peaking of scheduled 
operations to identify potential congested periods. As in previous 
seasons, at JFK, there is limited availability for new operations 
outside the mid-morning and late evening periods. Anticipated late 
winter runway construction could also increase delays above levels 
normally experienced in that period.
    Each Level 2 airport has a separate process adopted by the airport 
operator for securing terminal/gate availability for certain types of 
flights. These are primarily for international passenger flights or for 
flights operating at particular terminals or gates. The processes with 
the individual airports will continue separately from, and in addition 
to, the FAA review of schedules based on runway capacity. IATA 
maintains the schedule facilitator contact information for carriers 
planning operations at EWR, LAX, ORD, and SFO. There are multiple 
terminals at JFK and airlines are similarly responsible for securing 
terminal approval if needed. The FAA may consider the need to harmonize 
terminal and runway availability. However, this may not always be 
possible within the various airport and airline constraints.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on April 21, 2017.
Michael C. Artist,
Acting Vice President, System Operations Services.
[FR Doc. 2017-08532 Filed 4-26-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P