This requires a combination of market forces and regulation. First, congested airports need to have variable pricing for landing slots. Peak time slots should be significantly higher cost than at other times.. this will encourage airlines to adjust their scheduling and or make it easier for new entrants to compete. In the US, the airline practice of "owning" gates is flawed. This causes congestion, particularly during bad weather, when airlines are lining up for gates which are backed up, whilst others sit empty. Gates should be airport assets which can be used flexibly for different airlines. Lastly, in particularly busy airports, slots should be bought and sold on a market basis and the FAA should regulate this lottery. The number of slot should be limited, which would prevent airlines scheduling more than they have the capacity to fly.
|