When pilots make those calls, air traffic controllers give them landing priority.

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FedEx Express reported a sharp 13% decline in international priority freight revenues, while international air freight revenues fell by 17% year-on-year during the third quarter.

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Obviously, as always, safety is our top priority, and we will never allow the amount of air travel we can handle safely to take off and land, which means travelers should expect delays.

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The new time-limit rule, and the possible exemptions at JFK, will create many difficult air traffic decisions when "push comes to shove" about who gets priority, he said.

CNN: Air traffic jams in New York likely to jump

By law, the across-the-board cuts are supposed to be taken in equal measure from front-line programs like air traffic control, meat inspection and the Border Patrol and lower-priority items such as agriculture research and subsidies for airline travel to rural airports.

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India's priority is to provide its people with electricity, and one day air-conditioners.

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