May 20, 2009 - The Obama administration since assuming control in January already has made moves to alter certain transportation and related policies enacted by the previous regime. The U.S. Department of Transportation intends to void a Bush administration plan to auction off some take-off and landing slots at New York-area airports, while the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is considering changes to a federal law regarding the legitimacy and usage (including at airports) of state-issued identification. Meanwhile, the federal government is loosening 50-year old travel restrictions to Cuba.
DOT's proposal to rescind plans for slot auctions at New York-area airports would reverse an October 2008 policy announcement by the Bush administration. Intended to help cut air traffic congestion, the plan would have required airlines to surrender a certain number of take-off and landing slots at New York JFK, New York LaGuardia and Newark Liberty airports, and award some of those slots to the highest bidders. It faced litigation and, following a stay order issued in December 2008 by a U.S. Court of Appeals, never took effect.
Now, DOT via the Federal Aviation Administration through June 15 is accepting public comments on its decision to rescind two specific federal rules regarding slot auctions--one at New York JFK and Newark airports, and the other at LaGuardia. DOT noted that the rules were "highly controversial" and that "most of those filing [public] comments opposed the slot auctions." DOT also said that "circumstances have changed since the rules were issued, including changes in the economy."
According to DOT's filing in the
Federal Register, those objecting to the previous administration's rules "said that the FAA had failed to demonstrate how the proposal would achieve any significant relief from congestion. Rather, according to the commenters, a final rule would impose an untested and unproven auction process on airlines that would not address the fundamental airspace congestion issues in the New York metro area." The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Air Transport Association of America, International Air Transport Association, Continental Airlines and US Airways, among others, lodged objections.
"We're still serious about tackling aviation congestion in the New York region," according to DOT Secretary Ray LaHood. "I'll be talking with airline, airport and consumer stakeholders, as well as elected officials, over the summer about the best ways to move forward."
At LaGuardia in particular, "FAA is in the process of considering its options with regard to managing congestion at the airport in ways that provide a means for carriers to either commence or expand operations at the airport, thereby introducing more competition and service options to benefit the traveling public," DOT wrote. Meanwhile, "operations at both [JFK and Newark] airports remain capped by order at 81 scheduled operations per hour until October 2009."
Those interested in commenting on DOT's plans to rescind slot auction rules should visit
www.regulations.gov and refer to docket FAA-2008-0517 regarding JFK and Newark, and FAA 2006-25709 regarding LaGuardia.
Real ID
In January 2008, DHS finalized a new rule requiring "
minimum security standards" for state-issued driver licenses and identification cards. Once deadlines pass for the Real ID program, citizens of states that do not take steps to comply will not be able to use their driver licenses for certain official purposes, including boarding commercial aircraft, according to DHS.
The program faced criticism from several parties, including such state governors as Janet Napolitano, then-governor of Arizona. Now as DHS Secretary, Napolitano is exploring possible changes to Real ID.
"Real ID is a core 9/11 Commission recommendation that is codified in law, but the secretary recognizes that the program as it exists poses problems for the states," according to a DHS official speaking to
Management.travel. "Currently, the Department of Homeland Security is engaged in a working group with the National Governors Association on the road ahead for a secure state-issued identification program to address both the security needs, as well as the cost concerns raised by the states who must implement this measure."
When asked if the secretary is conceptually opposed to the program or concerned only by the costs that would be borne by the states, the official reiterated that "as it is written, it does have some problems. That's why we are engaged in a working group with NGA to map out a way ahead."
According a March 3 article published by
NextGov, Napolitano told DHS employees that NGA was "looking at whether some version of an enhanced driver's license that perhaps creates options for states would be feasible. They're
looking at what the fiscal impact would be, particularly given that states have no money right now. I would expect that over the course of the spring we'll be rolling something out."
Cuba
Though not a reversal of a specific Bush administration policy--but rather of the past 50 years of US foreign policy--President Barack Obama in an April 13 statement conveyed that he directed "the secretary of the Treasury and the secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the secretary of State, to take such actions as necessary to lift restrictions on travel-related transactions" for family visits, as well as the loosening of other restrictions related to Cuba.
Later that day, when asked during a press briefing if the president would follow certain lawmakers' requests and lift all restrictions on travel to Cuba, Dan Restrepo, a special assistant to the president and senior director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council, said family visits is "a place to start."
When asked if the demand for travel from family members would warrant new commercial flight options--in addition to charter ones--press secretary Robert Gibbs said, "The answer to that is at current unknowable. But that is exactly why the president has directed the secretary of State, the secretary of Treasury and the secretary of Commerce to come up with plans relating to the lifting of these restrictions."
Some with a business interest in relaxed Cuba travel restrictions have advocated greater access to the communist country. Orbitz on May 11 launched a campaign to end all travel restrictions to Cuba and, with market research firm Ipsos, released survey findings showing that two-thirds of 1,000 US adults polled favored such a step.
The American Society of Travel Agents in January praised then Secretary of State nominee Hillary Rodham Clinton for signaling policy changes on Cuba. "While easing restrictions on family travel and remittances is a good first step, Americans would best be served by a complete elimination of current restrictions on travel to Cuba," according to ASTA president Chris Russo.
