In an attempt to save fuel and thus cut costs, airlines are endangering passenger lives by flying on low levels of fuel. This means they are forced to ask for emergency landings once they reach the vicinity of the airports. This way the ATC is forced to prioritise and allow the air plane with low fuel levels to land rather than keep them circling in the air until a spot opens up as is the norm.

A review by federal authorities has revealed a sharp increase in planes, particularly from Continental Airlines, flying into the New York area with so little fuel that they demand an emergency landing. The majority of the minimum or emergency fuel declarations made into Newark last year -- some 66 per cent -- were on transatlantic flights, and Continental accounted for 64 per cent, or 96 of the 151 total incidents, the report said.

By comparison, 72 such incidents were recorded at Newark's airport in 2006 and 44 in 2005. Continental Airlines issued a statement assuring that Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules were not violated, and that safety was not compromised in any of the situations evaluated by DOT.

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