DOT 91-08
Contact: Brian Turmail, Tel: (202) 366-4570
Wednesday, July 2, 2008

U.S. Transportation Secretary Peters Announces Opening of Military Airspace for July Fourth Weekend

The U.S. military will again make airspace available for commercial airline flights off the East Coast during the July Fourth weekend to help reduce delays for air travelers, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters announced today. The airspace released by the military over the upcoming weekend will allow airlines to plan alternate routes in one of the country’s most heavily flown aviation corridors.

“Today’s announcement will help ensure that travelers don’t have to celebrate Independence Day by being stuck on an airplane,” said Secretary Peters.

The Department of Defense (DOD) is releasing airspace off the eastern seaboard from 6:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 3, to 6:00 a.m. on Monday, July 7, the Secretary said. This is similar to what was done over Memorial Day, Christmas and Thanksgiving. The military continually works with the Federal Aviation Administration to release the airspace anytime it is not being used for military missions, the Secretary noted.

The DOD will release airspace off the east coast from Maine to Florida above 24,000 feet, and will continue to control airspace below 23,000 feet for training operations.

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