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05/12/1987 - Airport Relations Commission AGENDA EAGAN AIRPORT RELATIONS COMMITTEE TUESDAY MAY 12, 1987 7:00 P M EAGAN MUNICIPAL CENTER CONFERENCE ROOMS A & B I. ROLL CALL AND APPROVAL OF MINUTES II. OLD BUSINESS III. NEW BUSINESS A. Eagan - Mendota Heights Corridor Study B. Report on Renaming of Committee IV. DISTRIBUTION A. Comments on FAR Par 150 Study B. NWA Articles C. Citizens' League Notes V. OTHER BUSINESS VI. ADJOURNMENT MEMO TO: CHAIRMAN GUSTIN AND ALL MEMBERS OF THE AIRPORT RELATIONS COMMITTEE FROM: JON HOHENSTEIN, ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT DATE: MAY 7, 1987 SUBJECT: AIRPORT RELATIONS COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MAY 12, 1987 I. MINUTES Enclosed on pages !i you will find minutes of the Airport Noise Committe meeting for April 15, 1987. These minutes, subject to any change, require approval by the Committee. II. OLD BUSINESS III. NEW BUSINESS A. EAGAN — MENDOTA HEIGHTS CORRIDOR STUDY Enclosed on page 3 you will find a report of the results of the MASAC meeting of April 28. At that meeting, MASAC unanimously supported the Cities' request for a study of the best means to utilize the noise compatible corridor in the Eagan and Mendota Heights area. The Cities received support from Chairman Rockenstein of the City of Minneapolis and Northwest Airlines. The support was partially responsible for the unanimous vote in favor of a motion which would have the Metropolitan Airports Commission pay for a complete study utilizing a consultant to consider both current impacts and mitigative strategies for focusing the worst of the impact at the middle of the corridor. The recommendation will now be considered by the Operations and Environmental Affairs Committee of the MAC at its May 11 meeting. That meeting will be held at 1:00 p.m. in the Commission offices of the Airport Building. Although it is in advance of our regular meeting, members who wish to attend are encouraged to do so. Assuming that it is passed by the Operations and Environmental Affairs Committee, it will then go before the MAC on May 18, 1987. Staff intends to contact both the Operations and Environmental Affairs Committee chair and the MAC chair in advance of those meetings. Although the MASAC vote is only the first step in a long and involved process which is prone to manipulation, I think the Committee deserves to give itself a gold star for the long hard work it has done to get to this point. For a long time it did not seem that there was any point to your significant work. Now I believe there is a clear indication that your effort has been worthwhile and you should be commended for your tenacity. ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED ON THIS ITEM: No action is required on this item at this time. B. REPORT ON RENAMING OF COMMITTEE At its regular meeting on May 5, 1987, the Eagan City Council approved the recommendation of the Airport Noise Committee officially changing its name to the Airport Relations Committee, thereby recognizing its role as an advisory body on issues pertinent to the airport above and beyond simply noise issues. It may take some time for Committee members and staff to get used to this change, but be assured that any interposition of the two names is inadvertent and will be corrected over time. ACTION TO BE CONSIDERED ON THIS ITEM: No action is necessary at this time. IV. DISTRIBUTION A. COMMENTS ON FAR PART 150 STUDY Enclosed on page 1 -1- __ you will find a copy of staff correspondence to the Metropolitan Airports Commission pertinent to its request for resolution in support of the land use study. This correspondence is consistent with action taken by the Committee at its last meeting and indicates the City's intent to respond when the full document is made available for public comment. B. NWA ARTICLES Enclosed on pages .5-q you will find articles from the Twin Cities Reader and City Pages magazines regarding Northwest Airlines, the airline industry in general, and the noise situation. These articles are especially interesting because they tend to support the theory that noise is but one of the negative side effects of deregulation's encouragement of hubbing and major carriers. C. CITIZENS' LEAGUE NOTES Enclosed on pages __04.11_ you will find notes from the Citizens' League meeting of April 30, 1987 which featured Rick Jellinger and Walter Rockenstein. You will find Rocky's notes on compatible land use to be especially supportive of our position. It is significant that this meeting occurred two days after the MASAC meeting and was very well attended. V. OTHER BUSINESS VI. ADJOURNMENT The Committee is not constrained to use all of the time allotted to it, but an effort will be made to adjourn the meeting no later than 9:00 p.m. — ?114,64AAmm Ad nistrative Assistant Enclosures JH /mc cc: Thomas L. Hedges, City Administrator Dale C. Runkle, City Planner Paul H. Hauge, City Attorney Subject to Approval MINUTES OF THE AIRPORT NOISE COMMITTEE MEETING APRIL 15, 1987 A regular meeting of the Eagan Airport Noise Committee was held on Wednesday, April 15, 1987 at 7:00 p.m. Present were Chairman John Gustin, Carolyn Braun, Carol Dozois, Tom Baker, Dustin Mirick, Gary Campbell and Joe Harrison, Alternate. Absent was Otto Leitner. Also present was Jon Hohenstein, Administrative Assistant. MINUTES After identification of typyographical corrections, upon motion by Campbell, seconded by Braun, all members voting in favor, the minutes of the March 25th, 1987 Airport Noise Committee Meeting were approved. EAGAN MENDOTA HEIGHTS CORRIDOR PRESENTATION Administrative Assistant Hohenstein reported on the meeting between City Staff and representatives of Mendota Heights concerning a joint position on the proposed corridor study. He indicated that both the Eagan City Council and Mendota Heights City Staff seemed satisfied with the position as it was prepared and that both City Councils would take official action at their upcoming meetings. He further stated that it would be appropriate for the Committee to make any final remarks concerning the position and possible improvements thereof. Harrison stated that the matter of the use of traditional headings at off -beat times should be more completely emphasized. Baker stated that the extent to which banning of aircraft is used in the corridor area is not necessary and that the position statement should play up the need for inovation and creativity as well as navigation aids to help mitigate the problem. Harrison reiterates that even the assumptions which the FAA is promoting for the Part 150 study are marginally used. Campbell stated that the position statement appeared to be in good order and that its presentation should be undertaken by staff representatives of both communities as opposed to citizen representatives for purposes of focusing on the technical aspects of the position statement. Mirick suggested that the MASAC representatives introduce those people speaking on behalf of both cities as a matter of protocol. Hohenstein stated that these recommendations could be incorporated into an action by the Committee. Upon motion by Harrison, seconded by Dozois, all members voting in favor, the Committee recommended to the City Council approval of the joint position statement for the Eagan- Mendota Heights Corridor and that joint representation before the April 28th MASAC meeting be undertaken. FAR PART 150 POSITION Administrative Assistant Hohenstein stated that an informal request on the part of the Metropolitan Airports Commission for a resolution in support of the FAR Part 150 land use study have been received by telephone by City Staff. He stated that any response to that request would have a bearing on the special MASAC meeting of April 20th which was intended to consider that portion of the larger study. Baker suggested that it would be appropriate to withhold action in support of the land use study until after the matter of the corridor had been addressed. It was also pointed out that the MASAC members and alternate each had scheduling conflicts with the special MASAC meeting and would not be able to attend the meeting. Therefore, it was concluded that no action would be taken on the MAC request and that any comments on the Part 150 study be reserved for the public comment. COMMITTEE RENAMING Mirick raised a matter of other business concerning the name of the Airport Noise Committee. He stated that it would be appropriate due to the ongoing nature of the Committee's monitoring of the airport that it remove the negative connotation of the term "noise" from its name and suggest the City Council rename the group to recognize its advisory or relational nature. After discussion, upon motion by Mirick, seconded by Baker, all members voting in favor, the Committee recommended to the City Council that its name be changed from the Eagan Airport Noise Committee to the Eagan Airport Relations Committee or such other name as the Council would deem appropriate. NEXT MEETING The next meeting was set for Tuesday, May 12, 1987, at 7:00 p.m. ADJOURNMENT Upon motion by Harrison, seconded by Campbell, all members voting in favor, the meeting was adjourned at 9:22 p.m. JH Date Administrative Assistant , 1 i 4iP > O N Cd CO 7rt d u � � b �+ � � 4S • 4 N �'. r . , °' N A a3 . � `�� � ��a) N 1 � , ,.,. fi G _ w ito..1 a. ° H il y� �' N 4 O 4)Z ai in C �� N y d tb� p «°. y N Q i �" t i ■ 'C� 2 '� E O , U � . Q g N �C �j O 'L7 : ^..1 [•�, g w, V % , C.) s 4. 'r1 g 'L� 1 r ',,, ' b ¢ .'.,e, :, r 8 101 a� a t~ i z �'c ID y - .1-• .. . > O e � QD •— Q I H1 i � 8>. eo � ' 1 z� :400 � ` • N b w ° . c° O • adz. 0 r 0 ,� nt y ti M" O g c sw' : g o f 'r e° 1.8 3 > ° ° ' N V a I ! 1 I ilhi I I ii � v O i v „,, 41 AI' ' {' f S ....0 1 1 e ns r ? x P , * . 4,44t. ; -S .'s. � tip O i r v'+ .' 4 ♦ n 6k,./Ati N : .� -5 O 3,p g ”' ' 1 ` '' , e x e ' '' C � 2 _ v � Q -' +7 ( C'" ▪ al fJ . .� . f r i ! ,.y i' 4f 4 , ' C fi 13 -- & to 8',.. 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Ir r g' ka t "� .�ndr + (�.' .�s r '.' e'a - l0 ■ Y_+ eE C ia C e� = - ,r, ~ �s, " . : el } 4001.4 , ,8,tifo,„, , iii � : , ' . y .0 rte. r�. d W G� b i as � ''. w G Li '' city of eagan 3830 PILOT KNOB ROAD, P.O. BOX 21199 BEA BLOMQUIST EAGAN, MINNESOTA 55121 Mayor PHONE: (612) 454 -8100 THOMAS EGAN JAMES A. SMITH VIC ELLISON THEODORE WACHTER May 4, 1987 Council Members THOMAS HEDGES City Administrator EUGENE VAN OVERBEKE City Clerk MARK RYAN METROPOLITAN AIRPORTS COMM. 6040 28TH AVENUE SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS MN 55450 Re: FAR Part 150 Land Use Management Plan Dear Mark: Pursuant to your request of April 15, the City forwarded an official position vis -a -vis implementation of the Part 150 Land Use Management Plan, the City has determined that it would be more appropriate to receive the entire document during the public comment phase before expressing any intention on the land use management measures. As you know, through technical review, the City already has provided input into which alternatives should be given more consideration. It would not be appropriate therefore to go further than that, absent the entire document. Therefore, I will forward the document with staff recommendations to the Council upon receipt. In that regard, we are looking forward to receiving the entire document in light of the recent MAC action. When can we expect it? If you have any questions about this correspondence, please contact me. Sincerely yours, P 74:7S1641444" til Jon Hohenstein / 0 Administrative Assistant J DH /j eh THE LONE OAK TREE...THE SYMBOL OF STRENGTH AND GROWTH IN OUR COMMUNITY t . IP O - � COVE13 g1 �y . . / , - - , ' . - \ . - %Sts$$wt111h,1 II � , . .ems The flaps are up. Profits are up.' „ , 1 V olume is up. . And the passengers •. are up in arms. • With a half -dozen megacarriers , 4 J ! K ; controlling 80 it percent of U.S. air , traffic, Congress moves to legislate consumer protection. E b y B r i a n L a m b e r t +5• ' Arsivingat the gate on the Gold Canaourse a half "You'll either bare to get on board or unit for " It's got to be very for them. We w cent sur this ge rticlegoes ta N /roes • t hour before takeoff the passenger is mortified to a later flight." its like. It's not a ple company g', • learn that he's forgotten to have his ticket rewritten "I'll go, I'll ga But couldn't you hold on to his by the book. The book is what matters. I guess +t stock is selling at $65.12 a share. for his new destination. The Northwest agent tells bag? I mean you sent him to the terminal. He has was different for them." F1vepta traveling together arrive separately and mina,. him it can only be handled s traveling back in the ion s/es I can't to come back. Just keep his bag until he does." A Republic cum Northwest employee to a familiar, check in at Minneapolis- St.Ihul International an to o watch turns to his his bag, an , and runs off 7luenty Jt asks ive "Why nott.? him ff. ni not?" frequent traveler, regarding life after the merger: hour before the scheduled takeoff The flight is de- - • minuses later he's not back. No problem. The plane "1 can't take responsibility for that" ' 'It's even worse than you think." te toyed 50 None minutes of [f nine late-arriving make luggage," ge flight. hasn't boarded. Departure has been delayed. Fij- The friend grabs the bag and boards. The doors three-an f months pie v ' teen minutes later he still isn't back but now every- close, and the plane pulls back ... and sits, 30 Passenger to Northwest flight attendant: A ter f "Excuse a ro di -a-htheir ia and, fths e a y nd l rrs to ghl a e Steven Roth- s one else is board, with the t td exception his com- yards g eta jmanother 20 minutes before Attendant to �� gernw ner th a knowing tone. meier, the chief executiveoffcer, Northwest replies, 'Are 1 pa A what to with as bag out for takeoff agreeing to pay a $7parking ticket incurred while 'Are you going going ng to to get get on this flight?" with ght ?" asks the e rolling ou hatless companion units two-and- a•halj "Mach lkna Surprise:' waiting for the luggage. gate agent. hours for the next Northwest flight, the only car- kt "Yes," says the friend, "but I still have his bag tier with a nonstop It then departs an hour late • Fo erger rtune t ma magazine, t rill ban n ce sheet Northwest' Nos only Goldman, Sachs & Ca airline analyst Hubert Ar- +' k know oul Couldn't you in it. Maybe his wallet, I don't niBy ng's the time he finally io arrives, . he's missed the eve- did Northwest show the biggest jump in yield, up melino, speaking in the early, woolly days of the i k" you're you taking thi s flight, you'll have to get nt h ng's business function. 7.5 percent during the third quarter, but it saw re- Northwest - Republic merger: 'As a traveler, Id be +' on board ard n no ow." A Northwest flight attendant discussing her new turn on shareholder equity rue 6.4 percent as the unhappy. But as an analyst, well, we're recom- "But I don't know i f he's g o t a n y money ... " Republic colleagues' assimilation into the company: company's stock rose to a recent $62 on a 53 per- mending the stock." t=om "' 1 ORTHW EST BASHING HAS BE- b ination of legend and direct contact, N yrop and other consumer complaints on a regular, month- when you learn that the second most active ear come something of a regional pastime. the "old Northwest" spawned a grimly punctili• ly basis. At the same time, consumer protection rier is United, with 3 percent. Ask about your friend's latest business ous (read: "frightened ") horde of corporate bot- ,yeith teeth is included as a part of the package. Our situation is not unique by any means. ` and chances or are, after the anecdotes bo t the tom-liners tter of every rule in the company book g than ing. A lot of people, Northwest's n nough to spu Congres- through ugh Dent. Delta is se out of the 'Bvin ' # cond with 4 percent i. r sales meeting and the sunburn, you'll hear an- keeping paying customers happy. Rothmeier sional action anyway, are not pleased with the Northwest handles 72 percent of Memphis' traf other Northwest horror story. ike ent who treated him like a crimiinalhwhenkhe a transformed entity, eagerly resolving those ten- into a sky mnated by of handful l of giants. industry s n US Air, to merge with Pied g , accounts for tried to the xchange hi old, unused ticket for a new sions , bsipating negative conceptions. The airli es are ere the phone companon) said flights. Fifte U.S. airports are " "f rt ess hubs," one. the canceled connection t Memphis. Well, mayybe. the losos t tt luggage e in L.A. .A. OO tinfoil-wrapped the tnfoil - wrapped ed As As e, easy as it is to quantify Northwest's eco- with used to be. Their attitude is don't care, and the traffieamer controlling over 50 percent of 4 dinner that looked like boiled, asbestos -cured nomic success n the six months since the merg- Aye don't have to care: " le t o kill complaint rap ain t w score of tv un presidents fr, ti in just t difficult n assess ntythat has The new Northwest iss very b g, especiallyy the complaints filed against airlines is the Dcrr's Of- - satis- r Atleast one thing can be said with Letters of cemplc r of a score ladder. Or presidents emerg d fro the Brobdiannag us• Win Cities. According to statistics from Tim fice of Inter- Governmental Consumer Affairs L. • ,, up No of fin convent t co connections the i onsa ing hardy qualify li ri ce on cocktail party nro and al of finding convenient ofi connections on an i Depa ar rttment of keeps stag ternational Airport, No thwestt controlss n nearly terms of customer disssatisfaction.. average in alternate carrier Steven out R othmeier the Twin o n re. Northwest , Northwest's Steven Rothmeier is on record as tistics only o those passengers with the pees- 80 percent of the facility's traffic. (Commuter "In 1986;' says DOT spokesman Hal Paris, � the i Gulag-like employee relations management it has no powerr to intercede. I But that may ffoor 19 perce t of that total.) As impressi nt r nked overall in number of complaints per style (not his characterization) of Donald Nyrop, change. Legislation is afoot to require all airlines that number is, you only get a true grasp of 100,000 passengers flown. The old Republic was the company's former CEO According to a com- to report delays, cancellations, lost luggage, and Northwest's utter domination of this market 13th:" (See graph.) Paris says DOT computers 5 ' .t y/.E D ' N E'S.D A Y;'. 14'P R I'L '1 5; :1 9 8 Y. Y �� T:'NL l'N CA T'_I "tSr R F A ❑ EYRT . 0 ,9 CO R s have been on the frizz for the past few months HERE ARE INDUSTRY OBSERV- • Return antitrust decisions to the Depart- hence no fresh statistics. We hope to have it t , ers who firmly believe that standards ment of Justice, taking them from the DOT a up again within a few weeks," he says. i n eneral have been on the slide since A paltry 455 complaints about Northwest ser- re year earlier than allowed by the Airline h eregu• deregulation began creating megacar- lation Act of 1978. Metzenbaum and other crit- vice were received in the first nine months of ' riers, a trend that has accelerated during the ics are not at all happy with the way the DOT 1986. That doesn't sound like much, but when Reagan era. Dan Smith is director of the Con- has rolled over for every merger proposed. you consider most people haven't the faintest sumer Affairs Office of the International Airline • Create a 24 -hour toll -free hotline for dis - idea that the DOT accepts complaints or how ' Passengers Association' in Dallas. The IAPA is tressed passengers. It would require that the to contact a massive federal bureaucracy, it says a membership organization that acts as an advo- number be printed on every ticket sold. Conceiv- something about the intensity of emotion on the cate in disputes with airlines here and abroad. ably the bumped traveler in Memphis, nauseat- part of those who persist and "take it to the top." "With regard to service levels," says Smith, ed by the settling of his Mach Tuna Surprise, By fax the largest beef was over what the DOT 31111 the trend in the United States is definitely drop- could contact someone within minutes for ad- calls "flight problems," with delays and cancel- •-- ping:' He says American carriers in general are vice on a course of immediate action. lations amounting to 188 of the total- Baggage =t) facing tough competition on international routes • Require that airlines allocate a minimum of ' W I problems accounted for 84 complaints; overbook- s from the govemmentsubsidized carriers of other one -third of a flight's seats at the lavishly adver- ing, 29; ticketing and boarding foul-ups, 28; 1,IP : countries, especially in the Pacific, where North- tised, max, ultimate, super- saver, cut rate. refunds, 37; customer service, 25; fare discrepan- s west and others see their future. • Deny carriers the ability to cancel flights for des, 11; misleading advertising, 2; credit snafus, . - - "Cabin atmosphere is extremely important on economic reasons unless all passengers had been 3. Thirty-two passengers had complaints stashed y..V�Itr► long hauls like across the Pacific,' says Smith, notified at least 24 hours in advance and ade- under the heading of "other;' and 16 complained "and American carriers are going to have to quately assisted with alternate arrangements. about smoking — either too little or too much. ,. markedly increase their standards to compete:' • Allow penalties of up to $250,000 to be ley- Consumer fury over flight delays and cancella- i ' Regarding "the personal touch;' Smith sees ied on offenders. ' tions is a subject of intense government interest ; an irony in the airlines' response: Metzenbaum's press secretary, Nancy Coffey, at this moment. "Unrealistic scheduling" is a .," , •. "What a lot of them have done is spend money makes a point of drawing attention to the bill's buzz phrase. on technology like advance boarding passes, cosponsors, among them Don Riegele (D- Michi- Since business travelers are the airlines pn z, i things where they can buy a machine to solve gan). Predictably she says, "We sense great en- mary customers, every carrier schedules dozens a of flights to all points of the globe for convenient • that doesn't involve people interaction th The s House t ve e rsion is-the brainchild of the ' 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. arrivals and departures. The result is chronic congestion , . a _ :' "My impression of Northwest is that they have aforementioned Pete a well-regarded pretty strong operations organization, but consumer advocate. He a says says his bill is virtually and delay, not to mention an enormous air traffic "" ° where it comes to the more ethereal amenities identical to Metzenbaum's (although it's called control problem. Many !revelers find themselves on the outside they're not terribly well equipped. What they the Airline Passenger Equity Act). Delays are endemic to the airline industry, but looking in. , give you is more yeoman or journeyman service "The idea;' says DeFazio from his Oregon of- Northwest is a noticeably guilty party, especially than anything like a master's treatment." fice, "is not to reregulate but to try and extract since it hubs out of three relatively low-volume' "I know it appears Northwest has more dis- : Smith says his organization is not one that re- information from the airlines and direct it to ' airports. A recent Detroit Fee Press study of sension than elsewhere in the business;' says gards "big as necessarily being bad," yet does agencies, which can make it useful to the pub - Northwest's punctuality at Detroit's Metro Scherer, emphasizing "appears:' not believe the creation of a half -dozen megacar• lic. We are in agreement with the industry when showed a clear pattern. "But I think the one question you have to put riers is in the best interests of passengers. He they talk about the bottom -line issue being tom - For five days in early March the paper chroni- to Northwest's flight attendants and other em- says the IAPA had a lot of trouble accepting the petitiveness [another buzz phrase]. We want the cled the progress, or lack thereof, of Northwest ployees who say they're so unhappy is, 'Why do ilea of the Northwest- Republic merger: American airline industry to be as strong as it' flights coming and going from Detroit during you still want to work for them ?' When you ask "Republic wasn't a failing airline, and [the two can be, but I have to tell them, 'You're just not the 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. rush hour. that you hear things like how they like North - airlines] had 36 common routes. It really raised providing any reliable statistics. We need to Six of 10 Northwest departures pulled back west's safety record and that the planes are well- my eyebrows when the DOT approved that one" know if there truly is a problem, where it is, and . from their gates more than 15 minutes late. For maintained. They'll also admit that other lines Smith adds, "I'm not sure the DOT is interest- how bad it is: " other airlines it was three of 10. have problems just as bad. They know about ed in the damage to domestic competition result- DeFazio insists the cost to the industry (i.e., One in three Northwest departures left more Eastern. They know'18xas Air is much worse." ing from these mergers." to the consumer) would be negligible. "Most of than 30 minutes late. For other carriers it was They also know they'd be flushing their se- the information we're after is already in their • one in seven. niority benefits away if they did manage to hook HE FEELING THAT FORMATION computer systems, right down to the number of One in six Northwest flights was more than up with another carrier. (A 13- month -old strike of airline oligopolies runs contrary to bags they lose. I have a hard time believing it 45 minutes late. For others it was one in 11. against TWA has cost 5,000 flight attendants the spirit of deregulation has spurred would be a burden to the industry." Further, the study showed that only 62 percent their jobs. Replacements were hired, and the air- Washington to action. Since the Air- The aviation subcommittee sent out prelimi- of Northwest's departures were within 30 min- line is in court fighting the union to keep the line Deregulation Act 011978, 275 new carriers . nary queries to airlines, asking if they could com- utes of schedule. The rate for other airlines out strikers out.) have been born. Only 75 have survived. Of those, ply with such a measure. American Airlines said of Detroit was 85 percent. Says Scherer: "I think a lot of people's percep- nine control 94 percent of the air traffic in the it could, Delta that it couldn't. (DeFazio wasn't But that's Detroit. Northwest management is tions of Northwest's service depend on how often United States. Moresignificantly, the six largest certain whether Northwest had yet replied.) openly displeased with the company's perfor- they fly. A vacation trip once or twice a year control 80 percent. Northwest is currently the "Delta's argument was that they couldn't but mance there and points to better ratios in the won't give you much of a sense of industry stan- fifth largest carrier. it didn't matter since they already had the best J 'Bain Cities and Memphis as proof that Detroit dards. Also it has something to do with people's , On March 31 Sen. Howard Metzenbaum (D- service. To which the response is, 'Well, then it's is an aberration. ability to be swayed by the crowd. If you read Ohio) introduced a bill he calls the Airline Con- to your distinct advantage to Iet the passengers enough had things about a particular airline, you sumer Rights Act. Among a host of proposals of the world be told of that fact: I would think ELAYS CAN BE, AND FREQUENT- begin to look for things that go wrong." D ly are, beyond the carrier's control. As it would: (continued on next page) angry as people are about late- arriving flights, the most practiced Northwest bashers have long regarded our local giant's big - 16 gest problem as its attitude. 1556 The psychological profile went like this: Be- 1 cause Northwest was perpetually involved in cy- 4 .T� I des of hardball negotiating /standoffs with the 14 v s 4 r , , , # ? ,, unions, employee morale was brittle to chroni- Yt m _ ; tally low. Ambient employee irritation with �" f 4 S s , treatment at company hands expressed itself in - -�•�- a terseness bordering on churlishness toward the 12 � , I general public. Employees felt as though job per- formance was being evaluated strictly on quan- E s t Mme ro tifiable criteria — the number of reservations • Jogged in an eight -hour period, the number of 10 v ` " .�, .. r' x :»S# { tickets processed, the number of seats assigned, the number of Mach Tuna Surprise entrees • P served —and very little on what, for lack of a • t more technical description, we'll call "the per- 8 - , 4 sonal much:' As a result the traveling public felt more like figures in a ledger than human beings. 1.39 ' It's hard to put a number to feelings, but this i : III If has been a popular theory. 6 ' r • Northwest has certainly had its share of skir- • wishes (most of which it eventually won) with the unions, and those fights continue. A strike , , 4 ; c by the airline's 7,500 flight attendants remains 4 I I I ;99.. Its 9 a near-term possibility. Pilots and ground per- • i sonnet also have contracts up for renegotiation. COMPLAINTS : t 1 1 t 23 .os � But industry analysts like Rachael Scherer of 2 i • a • / t 1 t 267 • 2. 67 n 4 'Bain Bosworth in Minneapolis 'wonder if the Number a w.pann per 1o0000 I: at I r 1 I I I / I — f 21 783 ' Northwest bashers who hold to the internal strife - • ""a b m t • y • r I - s t s 1 t r I • ij theory have all that much experience with truly. t '� • ` 49 I' a 4iA$ ,O "' n 1 i i a I l ' , 48 1 4 2 i 41 33 • ze a. ; ;4haotic operations, such as the recently engulfed m.....,.,.,.....,,. „. r . 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The airports commission i s buffeted by :. • b 7 ]} e the winds of a war over noise ' f.#fT of Ikt€ 7 . ' ''4:; ' BY CRAIG COX w N, , -' , : . .- : _ ; i • t m I'''. hey roar above David would require the airlines decrease peak we c a n : If we can find a way out of this passengers served has jumped from 8 Koehser's house with the clockwork noise levels 22 percent from those of ,without fighting the federal government, million in 1978 to about 17 million last precision of a bombing raid. First, at August 1984, an ordinance the airlines — ' that would be the preferred approach." year. breakfast, 7:30 to 10; then there's a break most importantly, Northwest — and the ' But the MAC has to contend with Noise levels, of course, have increased until lunch, then relative silence until Federal Aviation Administration oppose. Minneapolis City Council members and as a result. Residents near the airport dinner, and another break until a final run ' Friday, the MAC staff released . .• legislators representing the residents living always have had to contend with noise. But during the 10 o'clock news. "We'll get recommendations calling for less severe ' with what they contend is unreasonable in the last few years, says state Sen. Mike hammered for about 10 minutes, one every noise restrictions than the ordinance levels of airport noise. The city council has Freeman (DFL- Richfield), it has becomed minute or minute and a half," he says. proposed, and stated its preference for. ' ' endory proposed ordinance and local nearly unbearable. "The noise has gotten "Then one every two minutes, for up to an negotiated, voluntary cuts by the airline. Iegislators a number of so bad," he says. "It's much worse than hour." The move immediately angered bills this session attempting to leverage three or four years ago." Koehser and his family live at 57th and commission critics and will surely fan the some concessions from the airports . The MAC has not exactly turned a deaf Penn Avenue in south Minneapolis — in ' political Flames that already threaten to commission, including one that ties future ear to the issue, though. Responding to a other words, four lots south of engulf the commission. airport growth to the passage of the directive by Gov. Rudy Perpich, the Minneapolis -St. Paul International The staff report illustrates the balancing proposed noise budget. airports commission in April 1986 created Airport's South Parallel flight path. When act the MAC is undertaking on the noise It's a tight spot, one that Minneapolis a 10 -member Noise Budget Working the planes take off or land on this path, the , issue. If the commissioners approve the ' City Council Member Steve Cramer Group as part of a 27 -point airport noise Koehsers feel it. "If you're in one room proposed ordinance April 27, it will most - claims will severely test a commission that reduction program. Within that group, . and you're talking to your wife in another ' likely face a court challenge by the FAA or has been "living on its laurels" during the which Anderson chaired, the various room," he says, "you can just about Northwest, who claim it would restrict , past few years., They don't discount the factions reached a somewhat fragile forget about it." The thunder above will interstate commerce, preempt federal • problems," he says. "But I have a hard consensus on the noise question. Their interrupt phone conversations, overpower authority, discriminate against certain - time thinking they Can 9100th this one answer: create a regulatory mechanism radio and TV programs and often turn - carriers and breach contract agreements. If through t' ' ,}"" ' allowing the MAC to establish a ceiling on normal conversation into a shouting the ordinance fails, legislators, city ,- f the total amount of "noise energy" match: officials and community groups are certain '' produced by air carriers serving the There's been little normal discussion on to turn on the political heat, hoping to any of the problems airport, then allocating that total amount of the noise issue over the past few months, force them to reconsider. The MAC, as a can be traced to the federal deregulation of noise among all classes of air carriers for however, as the Metropolitan Airports result, is sitting on the fence, balancing its the airline industry in 1978. According to their use in serving the airport. Commission, official operators of the relationship with the FAA and the airlines % s FAA records, there were 11 certificated The ceiling concept, the draft states, airport, has scrambled to respond to the against its obligation to act in the public ' air carriers operating out of Minneapolis would protect the community from "any rising number of complaints by Koehser interest. St. Paul International Airport prior to future increases in noise caused by -rid his neighbors and cool the poltical heat , "All of it is the airports commission's deregulation; by 1985, that number had increases in air carrier aircraft .t has resulted. It's not going to get any decision," says MAC attorney Thomas - nearly doubled to 20. There were about operations." It would also provide some der. Anderson, chair of the working group that 257,000 operations (take -offs and incentive for airlines to upgrade their fleet. On April 27, MAC commissioners will drafted the proposal. "We want to landings) at the airport in 1978, more than Newer, quieter aircraft would allow the vote on a proposed noise ordinance that ' cooperate with the federal government if • 400,000 in 1986. And the number of carrier to increase its number of takeoffs G O o r) ! '' .r. ! 4 and landings while remaining under its — not as an isolated problem. The FAA "There's not much point hi pushing the allocated "budget "'of. noise. also raises questions about the airport !it issue in a lawsuit," he says. "It might The ordinance calls for an 18 percent commission's authority to restrict airline make a political point, but what sort of • , reduction in noise levels until June 15, commerce, discriminate against certain political point that might be if it's thrown . 1990, when the ceiling would be further carriers (i.e., Northwest), and, indeed, out of court in a month, I don't know." reduced. reflecting a cumulative 22 enforce the ordinance should it be passed. ' The MAC. Cramer fears, believes it can . NO percent reduction from August 1986 "While the FAA conceptually agrees ' +. — solve the noise problem with some small . levels. That ceiling would bring noise with the right of an airport operator to deal „ i adjustment, as it has done for the last 20 emissions down to the levels produced in with the noise that results from airport ': t ' ± ": • •...sa : years. "The problem with the airport 1984, the last year that airport noise was at operation, it must be done in a re '" # „* ^ commission is they're living on their , "community-acceptable levels," the draft manner based upon factual analysis and - F. laurels," he says. "They can't pull off states. without unduly restraining the flow of S5" 2• these little program without impacting the The MAC will require that air carriers interstate commerce," Better testified. airline industry. • submit reports regularly showing planned But this ordinance, he said, may place' "They have to induce an action that's versus actual noise energy produced. Each unreasonable restraints on certain air not going to be entirely voluntary," he violation of the ordinance may bring a carriers. and that would violate federal'' ' adds. But he doubts it will happen. • •They 90 -day jail sentence for company officials discrimination statutes are going to let thingaride, but that's not or a $700 fine. The commission may also enou h." withdraw all or part of an airline's 0 - Can the city compromise? allocated noise budget for violating the • t 't , "1 think there's give in terms of the level • ordinance — in effect shutting the carrier of redtletion," Cramer says. He'd like to down. " see sothething between 11 and 18 percent. • Though the MAC reported that six air r , r + ; ' On how that level is achieved he takes a t '7 carriers would be affected by the plan, cant r believe. that , S ' tougher Stand — There's far less give on only Northwest will be subjected to a s r d `. , the islet' of voluntary versus regulatory. substantial cuts — some 42 flights from its each and ty • '• : -, .. Anderson says Northwest has responded August 1986 level of operations. Neither „ ' ` ' voluntarily M the past and may do so again . • Northwest nor any of the other carriers .$ t.v. Cramer - in the future. In the early '70s the airline serving the airport participated in the f l ig ht i necessary to R p• p agreed to limit its nighttime activities; working group's discussions, but two of .- training is done elsewhere; in the mid -'70s the group members representing users of this economy. . ,•, • it pioneered a special takeoff procedure to , the airport submitted a minority report that 7 �, ,. don't think they'll ever leave this state," minimize noise. The MAC negotiated might just as well have Northwest's name — 117inneM/J0il. says Cramer. those measures while pushing funds to on it. They argued the proposed _ ,!� Two other airports — Logan in Boston "reliever" airports to keep general ordinance: City Council M em l and Stapleton in Denver — have recently aviation away from Minneapolis -St. Paul . •calls for too severe a noise reduction; . approved noise reduction ordinances International. •does not consider the effects on passenger Steve Cramer ' `.without a court challenge from the FAA. "We had as bad a noise problem in 1970 service, interstate commerce or the local But neither of these ordinances go as far as as we have today," Anderson says, "That economy; - . ,t a , that proposed by the MAC working group,; problem was solved by the MAC by the ' •is not feasible or necessary in light of the ' / ::‘,,V ?attending to Anderson, so there is really - , mid -'70s and it will get solved again. But MO 27 -point noise reduction plan. .... •-..-! -1 no legal precedents from which to operate. :it's not going to get solved overnight." blue hearing on the proposed *;_ c1 1. "MAC authority is at the heart of the • '; ono _e January 28th, the FAA had its } 4 !dispute," says Steve Cramer. But he first opportunity to expand on those ` doesn't agree with Belger's opinion of the ■ riday's MAC staff arguments. "Indirectly re gulating theuaa•"MMfhe+ +' :��, "4 airports commiss power: "I believe report, which calls for' just about "Usually we would await the outcome navigable airspace or resu•icting the nuts/..� • ' ;-the airports commission has the authority everything Crameeand other airport no of the Part 150 process (a comprehensive 'of interstate operations by deterthlmtlg. , t x lb act on its own on issues such as the noise: '• ' critics oppose, won't make the chore any FAA study on noise currently underway) who can or cannot operate, or the type Of ' budget. "„ " easier. In the reliort, the staff suggested the : aircraft which are operated atthe litfUrt i \ X'r:"Still, the legal questions are compelling. airports commission should approve the does not meet the tests of ream:irate/ # '*here is the line drawn between local ordinance "for purposes of the Part 150 • . e r "° discriminatory, non - arbitrary legitimate ,, F ° ' Proprietary interests and those0f a national study, according to Tom Anderson. But e ' kcal noise regulation," he said Y j air transportation system? How much of a the proposal should be modified, calling d I noise reduction can a local airport demand for an 1 t percent noise reduction for the g t * e - : Without placing an "undue burden" on an next four years and a tougher 24 percent ' t, i ome 33 ;00 ,_ _ _ lithe ° • a ir carrier or hindering interstate goal thereafter. The report also . metropolitan area depend Upon the nvjatho +t omriterce? Jerry Jallo, an attorney in the recommends that the MAC defer industry, which generated nearly a billloi "' Minneapolis City Attorney's office, says enactment of any ordinance for two Months dollars in wages each year :1M airport• , "' the city has been considering these and while staff attempt to negotiate with the o'-'''' .' directly or indirectly; contilbutegyfore : legal questions as the noise ordinance airlines to achieve comparable voluntary ' than $3 billion annually to the local •,K. moves toward a final vote. reductions from the airlines. ,. . economy. . ; .. The question of restraint of interstate Upon hearing of these general "Some say noise is not a problem," say ,.'trade, he says, is not cut and dried.; "There recommendations Friday afternoon, * the MAC's Anderson. "They say growth : are Many ways of getting people and goods, Cramer said he was "not enthusiastic." ' is the issue — 'don't do anything to inhibit ,, froth one city to the other without having a Because of the level of reductions and the - growth.' " ' - , noise problem,',' he says. "A minimal notion of voluntary restrictions, the report The commission certainly w h t ,. ' a impact (on business) is perfectly . • - "fails on both counts," he said. Cramer . consider economics when the proposal } y defensible said he would be meeting with the city comes up for a vote On the 27th. Would the c ity challenge the FAA or the attorney Monday to discuss legal options. ' Minneapolis City Council Memlxt{' SteVe" MAC in court over this? Cramer says the Meanwhile the jets continue to whoosh Cramer says he just hopes the MACYvill. city is looking into some legal options, but over David Koehser and his neighbors not cave into Northwest and the FAA He. , $ : :doesn't want to discuss them at this point. ' while they watch the news. People here S ¢ admits there's a balance to be struck They would prefer to stay out of court. "I don't ever really "get `get used to it," he says. ., a between economic considerations and the i , : don't think the city would want to enter What they do is move. In a recent survey ;y(' ; w pleas for quiet from area residents, but into that lightly," he says. undertaken Koehser and his organization, t, says he can't believe Northwest would be ••` The MAC would prefer to stay out of South, Metro Airports Action Council, he a more than "marginally" effected by the court as well "We are trying to work out a found that some 35 percent of local + ° ordinance. Cramer points out that deal, ". says Anderson. "But working out a residents were considering relocating #R n Northwest cut its number of flights by 10 .. •*, : deal does not mean giving everyone because of the jets overhead. MAC's Tom Anderson. percent when it merged with Republic with everything they want." State Rep. Jean Wagenius says the • no apparent disruption in the local r :: +1- What the FAA wants is simple: deal with exodus has already begun, Since economy. r , noise abatement as part of its November of last year, she claims, 250 before expressing our views," said FAA "1'm waiting for the airline to Mine to comprehensive FAR Part 150 study, • families have moved out of her district near Great Lakes Region Deputy Director the table and say how true are the effects t , '. ` scheduled to be completed soon. the airport. "1 know people are moving , Monte Belger. However, this proposal is we project," he says. "I can't believe that - The problem is, it takes lime, and the solely from the noise." she says. so tr ' aesome that we want to be certain each and every last flight is necessary to ',..:People living under the current noise • For his part, David Koehser is going to tha Discerns are clearly understood this economy." - . - ' , ' ' -,, burden want action now. Anderson says stick it out for a while. "I keep hoping for bet. y final decisions are made by the Northwest is an important economic the•FAA could take the ordinance and some improvement," he says. But he commission. player in the region, Cramer admits. And „,,, it as part of its study, but the doubts this latest initiative from the MAC Belger and the fads challenge the there are some strains on its business, yet -. m review process could take six months. In , • . will do anything but frustrate. "The ordinance on conceptual as well as legal the air carrier has been able to finance a • the meantime, the MAC could do one of ” problem with the 11 percent cutback :is it grounds. Because the airport is part of the "fairly ambitious acquisition of quieter three things: nothing, adopt the ordinance only rolls back (noise levels) to (those of) • national air transportation system the FAA jets" and should not be much hurt by the 'as an interim measure, or negotiate some - August 1984 and August of 1984 was the • regulates, any restrictions placed on air ordinance. They'll have to put up with a sort of voluntary restrictions with the beginning of the problem," he says. "I • carriers by a single airport operate such as slower growth rate here than at their hubs airlines. don't think you get a solution by rolling the MAC must be evaluated as part of the in Detroit and Memphis, but Cramer says ' As far as Anderson is concerned, back to where the problem became a FAA's comprehensive view of the system it shouldn't force them out of town. "I anything would beat going to court. problem. "• CITIZENS LEAGUE April 30, 1987 I. Rick Jellinger Comments A. SMAAC born late '83 and '84 as a result of horrendous noise problem. B. Now 1200 -1300 families - grass roots organization. C. Repetition causes nuisiance - virtually the whole day is rush hour for the airport. 1. Not just irritant, but dangerous pollutant. 2. Noise does have measured health effects. D. South Minneapolis becoming a high turnover area. E. SMAAC doesn't want to kill the golden goose but don't like being up to their necks in golden goose manure. F. Should start process of siting new airport and if problem goes away, we don't have to use it. G. Want to cap noise before 4/22 to prevent increasing capacity. H. Believes any re- regulation will occur at local level like noise budget. I. Diminution of value is evident. II. Rocky Comments A. Rocky is same distance from end of runway as Avalon and Burnside. B. Approach 1. Control of Noise @ Source - 1) New Design Rules ('69), 2) Current Production Rules ('73), 3) Operational Cut - Off /Fleet Noise Rules ('83 -'88). 2. Operational Methods - 1) Limit Ops, 2) Reduce and Spread, 3) Prefer quieter ops. 3. Land Use - 1) Preventive Land Use, 2) Corrective Land Use. C. Controlling noise at the source is the most important: 1. Fleet Noise Rule FAR Part 190 - Requires in service aircraft to retrofit. 2. Stage III is a New Design Rule set in 1977 and brought into service in 1982. 3. Current Production Rules and Fleet Noise Rule do not yet exist for Stage III. 4. No Stage IV rule exists - should be in place for next generation because UDF is in design phase. 5. Local regulations are beginning to drive design more than federal government. D. Operational methods must be locally generated and focused. 1. Need enforceable techniques. 2. Part 150 is best choice if it's enforeable. 10 E. Land Use - Rocky is incredibly supportive of corridor issue. 1. Our problem is FAA has not cooperated with what we've done on the ground. 2. Corrective measures don't address enjoyment of outside. 3. Implement land use, but go slow because cities shouldn't pay for things the airport and airlines won't. F. Airport liability case law occurred under regulation so new litigation is necessary to determine where authority lies and then sue to place liability w /Federal authority. 1. Best alternative to litigation is "enforceable" contracts. 2. Enforce by fine, gate access, advertising access, etc.. 11