ATA Airlines - Petition for 8 LGA Slots

Answers and Replies:

None

Orders and Notices:

None

Rules and Regulations:

None

Grant of Petitions:

None

ATA Airlines, Inc.

FAA-03-16218 - Exemption - Eight LaGuardia Slots

September 23, 2003

Petition for Exemption

In accordance with the provisions of 14 C.F.R. 11.61(b) and 14 C.F.R. 11.81, ATA Airlines, Inc. hereby requests an exemption from 14 C.F.R. 93.123, and any other regulation to the extent required, permitting ATA to conduct eight operations daily at LaGuardia Airport in addition to the 22 LGA slots allocated currently to ATA. ATA will use operations authorized by this exemption to increase its services to Chicago Midway.

ATA requests this exemption because it is unable to obtain the slots it requires to operate additional services between LaGuardia and Chicago Midway. Operations at LaGuardia are severely constrained as a result of existing slot allocations, which favor entrenched incumbent carriers. Despite the fact that hourly operations at LaGuardia have decreased since September 2001, sufficient slots have not become available to permit ATA to increase its LaGuardia-Midway flight schedule and compete more effectively with carriers holding vastly greater slot portfolios at LaGuardia. Other than the exemption process contemplated and authorized by 14 C.F.R. 11.61, no other regulatory mechanism will allow ATA to promptly obtain the operating authority it needs to offer improved low fare LaGuardia-Midway and connecting service.

Counsel: ATA and Squire Sanders, Marshall Sinick, 202-626-6651, msinick@ssd.com

Index