NEW YORK, NY August 30, 2008 —Port Authority officials say they'll fight tooth and nail to prevent the auction of takeoff and landing spots at the region's airports.

REPORTER: The Federal Aviation Administration decided this week to hold off on a planned auction at Newark Airport, until an independent FAA office looks into complaints from airlines and the Port Authority, which operates the three major airports. PA spokesman Pasquale DiFulco says his agency is trying to protect the 110 million people who use the airports who need and deserve relief from delays:

DIFULCO: They're not getting it through auctions and caps. They'll get it through an improvement in our air traffic control system that is still technologically and fundamentally rooted in 1950's era technology. That makes no sense.

REPORTER: The FAA says the auctions would reduce congestion. Airlines and the Port Authority say the policy would make flying more expensive and force out smaller planes. They've filed a lawsuit claiming the FAA lacks Congressional authority to impose the auctions.