Phoenix investigating what staff knew about air route shifts

PHOENIX (AP) - Phoenix officials say they now suspect that the city's staff knew more than previously believed about impending aircraft route changes that have drawn complaints of noise inflicted on neighborhoods historic downtown neighborhoods.

Phoenix officials have said they were blindsided by the new Sky Harbor International Airport arrival and departure routes implemented by the Federal Aviation Administration last September.

However, City Manager Ed Zuercher told Mayor Greg Stanton and City Council members in a memo this week that recent questioning of city employees indicates that city staff had advance contact with the FAA that wasn't previously known to top city officials.

Zuercher said the city is continuing to investigate what was known to whom when, but he stressed that Phoenix still contends that the FAA didn't provide proper notifications and consultations.