More than 4,000 frustrated air travelers from across Massachusetts, who have been inconvenienced by record airport delays, are voicing support for plans to build a new one-way runway at Logan International Airport. After sending 60,000 letters with reply cards to frequent fliers, the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) has received 4,114 responses supporting the construction of a new runway to reduce delays at the nation's 8th most delayed airport. Virginia Buckingham, Massport Executive Director and CEO, sent the letters following the Federal Aviation Authority's (FAA) call for more public input in the debate for a new, unidirectional runway at Logan. Massport is engaging the stakeholders whose opinions have been ignored thus far: the 27 million passengers who travel through the airport each year.

"We are now hearing from the silent majority -- those who have been waiting in terminals and delayed on the tarmac," said Buckingham. "These results confirm that Massachusetts travelers are frustrated with delays and are demanding a solution. We're building new stadiums and a new convention center, now it's time to build something that will satisfy millions: a new runway."

To date, Massport has received 3,665 response cards and 449 e-mails expressing support for the proposed runway. Many of the e-mails detail frustration at the delays that consistently plague Logan and cost businesses millions of dollars every year. The more than 4,000 responses (almost seven percent of the 60,000 letters mailed) reflect a strong showing and far surpass the typical response rate for direct mail pieces of only one to two percent.

Responses to the mailing came from across the state, including:

577 from Boston,
133 from Cambridge,
84 from Quincy,
76 from Worcester,
75 from Somerville,
73 from Newton,
72 from Medford,
56 from Lexington,
42 from Bedford,
and 32 from Concord.

Buckingham plans to share the information obtained from the responses with the FAA, state elected officials, and the panel currently reviewing the runway. Massport will continue to solicit input through its website at www.massport.com.

As part of the plan to reduce delays at Logan, Massport has proposed runway 14/32, a new 5,000 foot runway with all arrivals and departures occurring over water. The runway would reduce delays up to 90% on northwest wind days, 45-55% in good weather, and 20-25% annually. It would also allow 75,000 flights per year -- more than double the number today -- to take off and land over the water. With the new runway, FAA controllers will have more flexibility to distribute noise equitably and reduce persistent noise over any one community, especially at night and on weekends.

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