Officials Target Philadelphia Airport Delays

Officials at Philadelphia International Airport and the Federal Aviation Administration are ready to unveil their proposals to ease airport congestion and reduce flight delays.

But air travelers beware: The authorities say the project is likely to take at least 10 years for planning and construction.

In the meantime, flight delays in and out of Philadelphia, already a major problem, are likely to get worse.

New service from Southwest Airlines has sharply cut fares in and out of Philadelphia, attracting record numbers of passengers.

But even before Southwest's arrival in May 2004, the average delay on flights to or from Philadelphia had jumped to more than 10 minutes, according to the FAA - more than twice what the FAA considers "congested."

Starting later this month, the FAA plans five public meetings in the region to describe its "capacity enhancement project" for the city.

The most likely alternatives now under consideration call for four new airport runways, all running parallel, east to west, like most of the airport's current runways.

But they would be spread farther apart, with a new runway constructed along the Delaware River, forcing the United Parcel Service to move to new quarters.

Beginning Sept. 21, the FAA plans "public outreach" sessions to describe how the airport's design contributes to flight delays, outline the alternatives it is considering, and answer questions from the public.

Philadelphia Daily News