§41717 Interim Application of Slot Rules at Chicago O’hare International Airport

Summary

Changes how flight “slots” work at Chicago O’Hare. Starting July 1, 2001, the slot limits in parts K and S do not apply to flights that operate before 2:45 p.m. or after 8:14 p.m. Starting May 1, 2000, and under section 41714(i), the Secretary of Transportation must let carriers use slot exemptions for nonstop flights between O’Hare and small hub or nonhub airports with aircraft that have fewer than 71 seats if the carrier was not flying that route in the week of November 1, 1999, or will add more flights than they had that week, or will replace turboprops flown that week with regional jets. The Secretary must also give 30 exemptions to new entrant or limited incumbent air carriers and must grant each such exemption within 45 days of a qualifying request. Exemptions are only for Stage 3 aircraft (as the Secretary defines). Rules about turboprop replacement, international service, and keeping existing routes: a slot used to replace a turboprop with a regional jet generally cannot be sold or transferred, though a carrier may use one of two slots to provide service in some cases; if the carrier stops the replacement service, the extra slot is withdrawn, but the carrier may keep the exemption under subsection (b)(3). After May 1, 2000, slot rules no longer apply to foreign air transportation unless the Secretary limits access for carriers from countries that do not give reciprocal access. Carriers already serving small or smaller airports under exemptions or conditioned slots may not end those routes for 1 year after the slot rules stop applying unless they gave notice before October 1, 1999, or filed a termination notice after September 30, 1999 and the Secretary finds they had excessive losses under section 41719.