By Ted Reed TheStreet.com Staff Report= Big Apple Air Battle on Hold =0A=0ABy Ted Reed=0ATheStreet.com Staff Report= er=0A1/8/2007 3:05 PM EST=0AClick here for more stories by Ted Reed=0A=0A= =0A =0AWith 550 daily departures to 72 destinations spread among 13 airline= s, New York's LaGuardia Airport would appear to be a very competitive place= . =0ABut the federal government says it isn't, primarily because of a short= age of low-fare carriers. As a result, the Federal Aviation Authority has p= roposed new regulations that could lead to the confiscation of slots, those= assigned takeoff and landing positions that enable airlines to operate at = the congested facility. =0AThe regulations were scheduled to take effect Ja= n. 1, but last month their implementation was largely delayed for an indefi= nite period. Much of the airline industry let out a sigh of relief, because= the plan has been strongly opposed. =0A"The proposals are un-American, not= capitalistic and reek of eminent domain," said Dan Garton, executive vice = president for marketing at American Airlines (AMR - commentary - Cramer's T= ake - Rating), in an interview. =0ASametta Barnett, director of government = affairs for Delta (DALRQ - commentary - Cramer's Take), says the rules woul= d enable the FAA to confiscate slots that were, in most cases, purchased by= the carriers who use them. =0A"Deregulation was intended to let the market= determine how we operate," she says. "These regulations get rid of an effe= ctive market that lets us get in and out as passenger demand dictates." =0A= The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates LaGuardia and= two other airports, John F. Kennedy International and Newark Liberty, beli= eves improvements can be made to the government's suggestions, said spokesm= an Pasquale DiFulco. =0APage 1 2 3 NEXT PAGE >