Plan to add flights at National put on hold WASHINGTON (AP) =97 Plans to add flights at Ronald Reagan Washington= National=20 Airport are in a holding pattern for now. A House transportation=20 subcommittee agreed Wednesday to wait for the full Committee on=20 Transportation and Infrastructure markup next Wednesday before making any=20 decisions. The panel considered adding 36 slots at National, including 24=20 which would allow larger planes to fly beyond the traditional 1,250 mile=20 perimeter to which most flights at National are limited. District of=20 Columbia Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton had offered an=20 amendment to cancel the plan, which is part of the Federal Aviation=20 Administration reauthorization bill. Norton said National is too crowded,=20 and adding 36 slots would make it worse. "It will increase delays and=20 congestion to the airport," Norton told committee members, who frequently=20 use the airport themselves. Norton and Rep. Jim Moran, D-Va., also expressed concern that the slots=20 could siphon business from other nearby airports. Norton said the financial= =20 impact on Washington Dulles International Airport, as well as four airlines= =20 fighting for economic survival =97 US Airways, Delta, American and United = =97=20 should also be considered. "I don't see how US Airways is going to make it= =20 if we mess with some of slots they have purchased," Norton said. The=20 carrier emerged from bankruptcy in March. Moran urged fellow lawmakers to=20 scrap the idea, saying the extra noise would be more than local residents=20 bargained for. "I will continue to press the case that adding flights at=20 National is a bad idea," Moran said. He said it is illogical to add flights= =20 as security screening positions are being cut. Aviation subcommittee Chairman John Mica, R-Fla., told Norton he was=20 willing to work with her on the issues of slots, financial concerns and=20 local control of the airport. The goal is to improve the bill over the next= =20 week. Norton said she has already begun negotiations and consultations with= =20 other lawmakers. "This committee, I think, will listen because they're=20 concerned about the future of the four airlines that are on their knees,"=20 Norton said. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Site of the Week: http://www.cso.gov.tt TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************