City Airports Are Nation's Slowest

As Columbus Day weekend approaches, travelers will be disheartened to learn that New York City's three area airports had the nation's worst rates of flight delays in August, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty were placed 30, 31, and 32 in arrival delays among the country's 32 major airports.

"The skies above New York are more clogged and congested than ever," Senator Schumer said.

LaGuardia's on-time arrival rate dropped to 57.6% in August from 68% a year ago. JFK's rate fell to 58.7% from 69.6%. And Newark's rate fell to 62% from 65.9%.

The average on-time arrival rate of the nation's 20 largest carriers fell to 71.1% from 75.8%.

President Bush has asked his transportation secretary, Mary Peters, to lead a task force to come up with recommendations for reducing the congestion by the end of 2007. Ms. Peters said she is considering a congestion-pricing plan to charge airlines higher fees to land their planes during peak hours.