Delta backs adding flights at Reagan National as delays rise

FAA findings could undercut plans to boost airport service.

Adding more than two dozen daily round-trip flights at Reagan National Airport could increase the number of flight delays by as much as one-third, according to an internal analysis by the Federal Aviation Administration, a finding that may undercut a new campaign to increase air service at the airport.

The analysis, contained in an internal FAA memo, indicates a report by the Capital Access Alliance, which said National could support additional flights, is “flawed and does not directly tie to the physical airport capacity.” Rather than improve service, as the CAA study found, “additional flights at DCA would likely have a negative impact on operational performance and the passenger experience,” the federal agency concluded.

The FAA memo is likely to add fodder to a long-stand- ing debate in Congress over decades-old rules that govern operations at National, limiting both the number of flights and the distance they can travel. Unlike other U.S. airports, National and Dulles International Airport are owned by the federal government, which gives Congress a say in how they are operated.

A bill introduced last month by Reps. Hank John- son, D-GA., and Burgess Owens, R-utah, would allow 28 additional daily round trips and permit airlines to offer more long-distance ser- vice out of National, where rules allow only a handful of flights to operate beyond a 1,250-mile perimeter. Supporters say modernizing the federal regulation would make travel to the region more affordable and increase options for consumers.

Members of the regional congressional delegation and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which manages daily operations at National and Dulles, have long opposed changes to the airport just outside Washington. They argue that Dulles, more than 10 times the size of National, is better positioned to handle long- haul flights and additional air traffic.

The debate this year has attracted the attention of two of the nation’s largest airlines.

Delta Air Lines, the second-largest carrier at National, is backing the CAA’S efforts to increase air ser- vice. Meanwhile, United Air- lines, the dominant carrier at Dulles, announced in recent days it is backing a new coali- tion created to fight the proposed changes. American Airlines, the largest carrier at National, also is against the proposed changes.

Delta spokeswoman Lisa Hanna said in a statement that existing rules harm air travelers and the economies of certain markets.

“The unintentional conse- quences of the federal perimeter rule are costing customers time and money, while hurting businesses in Western states and the Capital region,” she said.

In its analysis, the FAA found National is more prone to delays than other U.S. air- ports and that measures - including adding more air traffic controllers - would be unlikely to remedy that. Unlike other regions of the country, delays at National are not attributable to air- space issues, according to the FAA, but rather challenges such as the availability of air- port gates. The agency, how- ever, said it would be possible to add more long-dis- tance flights at National if the overall number of round trips did not increase.

Brian Walsh, a spokesman for CAA, disagreed with the FAA’S analysis, saying airlines would work with the FAA to schedule flights during periods when there is less air traffic.

“Adding more flights would not add needless delays into the airport,” he said. “Airlines would work with the FAA, just as is done at other airports, to schedule addi- tional flights at lower time periods and not surge during peak time periods.”

In a meeting this week with The Washington Post editorial board, Scott Kirby, chief executive of United Air- lines, said adding service at National is a “zero-sum gain.”

“There is effectively one runway at DCA,” he said. “It is the busiest runway in the country and already is heav- ily delayed. That means anyone who says you can just add flights it is trying to sell you fool’s gold.”

Kirby also acknowledged that adding flights at National could hamper United’s abil- ity to connect passengers to the growing number of inter- national flights it offers at its Dulles hub.

National’s proximity to Capitol Hill has led to numer- ous efforts over the years to add flights or extend the perimeter, which allows only a small number of flight beyond 1,250 miles. Congress has extended what began as a 650-mile limit twice over the years - first in 1981 to 1,000 miles, then in 1986 to the current distance.

A 2021 report by the Government Accountability Office noted that allowing more long-distance flights over the years has meant larger aircraft at National, fueling passenger growth but also raising concerns about traffic and whether the airport had enough space to accommodate travelers. The GAO did not take a position on whether more long-distance flights should be permitted or whether the perimeter rule should be abolished.

The slot and perimeter rules were put into place in the 1960s to promote growth at Dulles, which opened in 1962.

ALEX WONG/GETTY IMAGES/TNS A traveler looks at a flight information board at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in January in Arlington, Virginia. Plans to increase air traffic at Reagan National could increase flight delays by as much as one-third, according to an FAA analysis.