=20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SFGate. The original article can be found on SFGate.com here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=3D/n/a/2006/05/18/financial/= f101239D37.DTL --------------------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, May 18, 2006 (AP) Summary Box: Atlanta Runway (05-18) 10:12 PDT (AP) -- WAITING: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport has been plagu= ed with delays that affect a quarter of the 980,000 takeoffs and landings each year. The average delay is 17 minutes. MORE RUNWAY: Airport officials say a new 9,000 foot, $1.284 billion-runw= ay that will open on May 27 will help cut those delays by half and save airlines a total of $5 million a week. LESS DELAY: Analysts say the runway will provide some help in reducing delays but a greater problem is upgrading the nation's air traffic control equipment and maintaining proper staffing. Passengers say nothing can be done to change the weather, which is responsible for most of Atlanta's delays. -------------------------------------------------------------------= --- Copyright 2006 AP