WASHINGTON,
Aug. 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continental Airlines
(NYSE: CAL) today applauded an order issued by the Federal Aviation
Administration's (
FAA) Chief Counsel to stop the Department of
Transportation's (DOT) plan for auctioning slots at Newark Liberty
International Airport, which DOT had announced would be held on
Sept. 3. The
FAA Chief Counsel said he acted under the authority from the FAA Acting
Administrator and found Continental and other airline protesters of the
auction "demonstrated compelling reasons to maintain the status quo" not
allowing slot auctions while the FAA considers the DOT auction plan and makes
a final decision on the airline protests of the auction.
"We are pleased that this stay was granted by the FAA's top attorney and
believe that it shows that the slot auction faces a host of serious legal
difficulties," said a Continental spokesman. "With this order, at least for
the time being, the FAA avoids other litigation that it could not have won."
In issuing its order, the FAA Chief Counsel said that Continental and the
other airline protesters have a "substantial case" that "provides the basis
for deliberate investigation" by the FAA of the serious concerns about the
auction's illegality.
The DOT had announced a schedule for the FAA to complete an auction while
Congress is away from Washington in their home districts to preclude
Congressional intervention. The FAA stay has the potential to give the DOT
and FAA more time to review and consider the widespread and virtually
unanimous opposition to the auction plan and to evaluate lawful alternatives
to auctions that would actually reduce congestion and delays.
Continental expressed thanks to U.S. Senators Murray, Bond, Lautenberg,
Menendez, Schumer and Clinton, the entire New Jersey Congressional Delegation,
Governors Corzine and Patterson and the Port Authority of New York and New
Jersey, all of whom helped Continental to make the case that slot auctions are
not in the best interests of the American traveling public.
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