DALLAS (AP) — Continental Airlines Inc. has asked regulators for an exemption from new rules to punish airlines for long tarmac delays, saying construction at New York's Kennedy Airport will slow operations at two other nearby airports.

If Continental doesn't get its wish, look for the nation's fourth-largest carrier to be quicker to cancel flights that might run up against the three-hour limit.

Continental joined a growing list of carriers asking not to be punished if they violate a new government rule limiting how long passengers can be delayed on the tarmac.

JetBlue and Delta asked for exemptions from the rule last week, and American joined them on Tuesday. Those are the three biggest operators at Kennedy Airport, where the Federal Aviation Administration predicts delays will average up to 50 minutes during runway construction this spring.

Continental's hub in the New York area is at Liberty International Airport in Newark, New Jersey.