The FAA report provides the first calculations of just how many flights 31 major airports can accommodate without delays, and what improvements are necessary to handle a projected 39 percent growth in takeoffs and landings between 2000 and 2012. The agency has taken some steps to increase the number of flights that airlines can handle without delays by installing new technology, realigning flight paths and rerouting some planes through Canadian air space and through sectors once reserved exclusively for military flights. Some airports are planning new runways, and FAA officials are trying to speed up construction. For example, a plane taking off from LaGuardia in the morning flies several different routes during the day. If it's late in the morning, all of those subsequent flights may be delayed.
Some experts say the airlines are scheduling too many flights at peak travel times.
Industry officials said the weather, not scheduling too many flights, accounted for most delays. Garvey recommended the airlines review their schedules, but said she did not support imposing caps on the number of flights allowed at each airport. Already, Delta has rescheduled some flights at its Atlanta hub, and American has made adjustments so that the same airplanes fly in and out of O'Hare and different planes fly routes that bypass Chicago. This way, delays at O'Hare won't affect, for example, a Dallas to Miami route. The Transportation Department inspector general is looking at whether airline scheduling practices, among other factors, have contributed to flight delays and cancelations.