Delta Opposes FAA Plan for Salt Lake City Airport

January 7, 2004

Delta Opposes FAA Plan for Salt Lake City Airport 
Salt Lake Tribune, UT

    Add Delta Air Lines to the growing list of those opposed to the Federal 
Aviation Administration's proposed redesign of the airspace around Salt Lake 
City International Airport. How much weight it will carry is another question. 
    Delta, which bases its third-largest hub out of Salt Lake City, told the 
FAA in a letter last month that it saw no need to expand and reconfigure routes 
in and out of Salt Lake International, based upon its present flight schedules 
and projected growth. The airline operates about 300 daily departures out of 
Salt Lake City. 
    "I t's very significant that the airport's major carrier is opposing this," 
Tim Campbell, Salt Lake City International's executive director, said Tuesday. 
"Delta has evaluated the issues and expressed their conclusions." 
    In a letter dated Dec. 17, Robert Dibblee, Delta's government and public 
affairs chief for the airline's Western region wrote: "It is our experience 
that air traffic flow into and out of the Salt Lake City airspace has been and 
continues to be stable," adding that the expanded use of new flight management 
systems and navigation procedures should comfortably accom- modate the 
airline's future activities. 
    "Consequently," Dibblee wrote, "Delta Air Lines does not experience 
measurable traffic delays that would necessitate . . . the contemplated changes 
to the existing airspace structure or procedures at this time." 
    The FAA's proposed airspace changes, which include the possible creation of 
a new corridor for arriving flights over the east bench of the Salt Lake 
Valley, already faced opposition from Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson and 
the City Council, as well as Rep. Jim Matheson, environmental groups, such as 
Save Our Canyons, and others. 
    According to critics, the proposed east-side approach will not only 
generate noise problems -- the new route could place arriving commercial 
aircraft 6,000 feet over residents and adjacent wilderness areas -- but also 
create safety concerns. General aviation users fear turbulence and extreme 
weather so close to the Wasatch ridgeline. 
    Delta registered its opposition to the FAA proposal at the request of the 
airport's board of advisers, but board members say they didn't have to twist 
the airline's arm. 
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    "It was more of a simple request," said Salt Lake City Councilman and board 
member Carlton Christensen. "As a [city] administration and council, we've 
looked for any interested parties that will support us. I think Delta looked at 
its options, and for the sake of the community, decided there were viable 
options that wouldn't be as impactful. I think they were being sensitive to 
local concerns, while also knowing it would not be a detriment to their 
operations." 
    Dibblee did not return a phone call Tuesday. George Wetherell, the FAA's 
project leader for the Salt Lake airspace redesign, says the Delta letter 
caught his office by surprise, but it will be factored into the ongoing 
environmental impact assessment (EIS) for the airspace plan -- as all other 
public comments have been. 
    How much pull Delta's position will have is the unknown. 
    "The major factor we'll look at is the environmental impact itself. The EIS 
will direct the agency in the direction we need to go," said Wetherell. 
"Delta's input will certainly be considered, as will the input of others. But 
there are a lot of other things that will be taken into account. Most 
importantly, there is efficiency from the airline and controller perspective, 
and safety from the controller perspective. Safety is the first priority." 
    Christensen said he hopes the airline's stand will have an effect, but also 
says he has to be realistic. 
    "Ultimately, the FAA will do what it feels it has to do," he said. "But 
clearly, Delta is the largest generator of traffic [at the airport], so it has 
significance. I don't think it will fall on deaf ears." 
    The EIS is scheduled to be finished by this spring. 


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