[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 189 (Monday, October 2, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45938-45939]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-21045]


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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 
Summer 2018 Scheduling Season

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

ACTION: Notice of submission deadline.

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SUMMARY: Under this notice, the FAA announces the submission deadline 
of October 5, 2017, for summer 2018 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 
summer 2018 scheduling season.

DATES: Schedules must be submitted no later than October 5, 2017.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jeffrey Planty, System Operations 
Services, Air Traffic Organization, Federal Aviation Administration, 
600 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20591; telephone

[[Page 45939]]

number: 202-267-0613; 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 under 
the WSG. The FAA currently limits scheduled operations at JFK by Order 
until October 27, 2018.\1\
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    \1\ Operating Limitations at John F. Kennedy International 
Airport, 73 FR 3510 (Jan. 18, 2008) as amended 81 FR 32636 (May 24, 
2016) and 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 (1200 to 0200 UTC), at LAX and SFO from 0600 
to 2300 Pacific Time (1300 to 0600 UTC), and at EWR and JFK from 0600 
to 2300 Eastern Time (1000 to 0300 UTC). Carriers should submit 
schedule information in sufficient detail including, at minimum, the 
marketing or operating carrier, flight number, scheduled time of 
operation, frequency, aircraft equipment, 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 schedule 
updates at Level 2 and Level 3 airports.
    The U.S. summer scheduling season is from March 25 through October 
27, 2018, in recognition of the IATA northern summer period. The FAA 
understands there may be differences in schedule times due to different 
U.S. daylight saving time dates and will accommodate these differences 
to the extent possible.
    The FAA generally uses average hourly runway capacity throughput 
for the schedule review at Level 2 airports, considering any 
differences associated with runway construction or other relevant 
operational and performance factors. The FAA will continue that 
practice to review the summer 2018 proposed schedules.
    Airlines planning operations at LAX should be advised the airport 
plans construction on Runway 7L/25R and is expected to close the runway 
from mid-January to mid-May 2018. Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), 
the airport operator, is currently finalizing construction plans. The 
FAA is reviewing the anticipated capacity impacts of the construction 
along with recent operational performance and demand trends. This 
includes surface congestion issues that are increasing operational 
complexity and impacting air traffic control as it manages surface 
movements. The FAA expects continuing discussions with LAWA, airlines, 
and other stakeholders on ways to reduce congestion and delay and 
manage operations more efficiently. LAWA conducts monthly meetings on 
construction and other operational issues that include local FAA air 
traffic control facilities, airlines, and other stakeholders. Such 
meetings may be the best regular source of construction project updates 
and the anticipated impacts.
    In 2016, the FAA found it could not justify continued Level 3 slot 
controls at EWR as the operations were consistently below the allocated 
limits and the airport was underutilized. The FAA changed EWR from 
Level 3 to Level 2 effective with the winter 2016 scheduling season. 
The FAA anticipated as a result of the Level 2 decision, an increase in 
flights which could provide competitive and economic benefits. The FAA 
also anticipated that with the increase in flights, delays would 
increase above 2016 levels but would remain within the levels accepted 
when the FAA established Level 3 in summer 2008. In reviewing schedules 
for summer 2018, as well as any new requests for winter 2017, the FAA 
will consider the recent operational performance metrics including the 
average hourly runway throughput trends.\2\
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    \2\ The FAA typically determines an airport's average adjusted 
runway capacity or throughput for Level 2 and Level 3 airports by 
reviewing hourly data on the arrival and departure rates that air 
traffic control indicates could be accepted for that hour. We also 
review the actual number of arrivals and departures that operated in 
the same hour. The higher of the two numbers, ``called'' or actual, 
are used for these purposes. Some dates may be excluded from 
analysis such as during periods when extended airport closures or 
construction impacts capacity.
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    Our review of the average adjusted airport runway capacity 
indicates an average of 79 hourly operations, which is below the limit 
in the FAA 2008 Order, and below the levels currently scheduled in some 
hours. For the winter 2016 season, the FAA goal was up to 79 movements 
in an hour with some reduced levels in adjacent hours to provide 
recovery periods. This was meant to allow a transition from Level 3 to 
the first scheduling season as Level 2. For the summer 2018 season, the 
performance data suggest a similar approach may improve performance. 
The FAA has determined a scheduling limit of up to 79 flights an hour 
is appropriate. The FAA will accept flights above that limit provided 
they were typically operated by the same airline for the summer 2017 
season. At the same time, the FAA plans to work with airlines to retime 
some flights to less congested periods and have some hours to provide 
recovery periods. The mix of arrivals and departures, offsets for hours 
that may be above the limits, and the distribution of flights within an 
hour or adjacent hours will be considered. Beyond baseline flights, the 
FAA does not intend to approve new flights unless they can be 
accommodated within the limit. Based on demand for the summer 2017 
scheduling season, the FAA anticipates the 1100 to 1259 and 1800 to 
0059 UTC hours will be the peak periods without available capacity for 
new flights. Consistent with the WSG, carriers should be prepared to 
adjust schedules to meet available capacity in order to minimize 
potential congestion and delay.
    The Level 2 airports also have a separate schedule facilitation 
process managed by the airport operator or a designated representative 
for certain types of flights, such as international passenger flights, 
or at particular terminals or gates. Those processes with the 
individual airports or terminals will continue separately from, and in 
addition to, the FAA review of schedules based on runway capacity. 
Airlines should submit schedule information directly to the airport 
operator representatives in accordance with the local procedures. The 
FAA may consider the need to harmonize terminal and runway availability 
in the schedule review process.

    Issued in Washington, DC on September 21, 2017.
Michael C. Artist,
Vice President, System Operations Services.
[FR Doc. 2017-21045 Filed 9-27-17; 4:15 pm]
 BILLING CODE 4910-13-P