Even with that effort, though, weather-related delays in June were up 16 percent over June 1999. Elsewhere, computer programs, which track planes in the air traffic control system and provide more direct routing and less waiting time for arriving flights, are being phased in at several airports. In the last two years, officials say, these steps to reduce delays have saved 18.4 million delay minutes. Wake turbulence is the violent wind generated by large airplanes in flight. It is most dangerous when a plane attempts to land close behind a large airliner.
Controllers deal with the problem by spacing planes farther apart.
Researchers say the new technology allows them to track wake turbulence, allowing them to safely land up to six more planes an hour. But easing the problem in the air doesn't solve the problem of crowded airports. Many, like Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, are at capacity and have nowhere to grow. Last week, nearby Dulles International Airport, one of the world's fastest growing airports, announced plans to add a fourth runway. Atlanta's Hartsfield International, the world's busiest airport, is also adding another runway, and some communities like Denver have built new, larger airports to meet the increasing demands of travelers who want to fly at peak periods.