US News

JFK FLIGHTS OF ANTSY

Get set for less convenient schedules at Kennedy Airport, where federal officials might cut the number of takeoffs and landings some hours by 20 percent in hope of improving airlines’ on-time performance.

Right now, Kennedy handles up to 100 flights per hour. That’s too many, says the Federal Aviation Administration, which wants to cut the maximum number of hourly departures and arrivals to 80 at some times, 81 at others.

Federal officials plan meetings with the airlines on the proposal this week, and say they still hope to come up with a “market-based solution” for dealing with the airlines’ tendency to schedule too many flights at the same time.

Airlines are unhappy with the proposal.

“Slashing operations at JFK alone will not solve the congestion problem, but will shut the door on growth for our country’s leading international gateway,” said James May, president of the Air Transport Association.

Only 59 percent of arrivals and 63 percent of departures were on time at Kennedy in August.