Musk Responds To Act For Allowing More Flights At Washington Airport, Says DCA Should Get More Use

Tesla Inc TSLA CEO Elon Musk on Wednesday opined that the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), should be utilized more.

What Happened: “Those airports should get more use,” Musk said. The CEO was responding to a tweet by Capital Access Alliance (CAA), a coalition of business groups including Delta Air Lines DAL, campaigning to increase long-distance flights at the Washington airport.

The airport is governed by a federal perimeter rule established in 1966 which restricts airlines from flying beyond 1,250 miles of the airport with few exceptions. The CAA is calling for an act- called the Direct Capital Access Act or DCA Act- that would authorize 28 in and beyond perimeter flights at the airport citing higher ticket prices and more time on planes for flyers.

Why It Matters: According to CAA spokesperson Brian Walsh, the federal regulation is costing consumers hundreds of millions per year in higher-than-average airfare.

In March, it was reported that the FAA will temporarily limit slots at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA), together with Washington National due to post-pandemic effects on Air Traffic Controller staffing at the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control facility. Both Delta and United Airlines Holdings Inc. UAL offered to cut flights by up to 10% from May 15, 2023, through September 15, 2023.

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