WASHINGTON – Ahead of the busy Fourth of July travel week, Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) CEO Kevin M. Burke urged Congress to modernize the way we fund America’s airports by updating the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC). In a letter that appeared in POLITICO’s Morning Transportation newsletter, Burke made the case for updating the nearly 20-year-old PFC back to its original buying power. He highlighted that updating the PFC will allow airports to take on infrastructure projects, create jobs, and lower ticket prices for passengers.

“Congress and the Administration have yet to make significant progress on updating the nearly 20-year-old PFC, the local user fee airports rely upon to fund major infrastructure investments,” Burke writes. “Travelers deserve modern terminals and efficient security check points, yet are often forced to deal with aging and crowded airports. Updating the PFC would allow airports to take on these infrastructure projects that would not only improve the travel experience for millions of Americans, but would also support millions of jobs.”

The PFC, which airports rely on to fund infrastructure projects, has not been updated in nearly 20 years, making it outdated and ineffective its current level. Burke expressed willingness to work with Congress to update the PFC which will boost jobs and benefit millions of travelers.

An excerpt from POLITICO can be found below, as well as Burke’s full letter.

 

Politico
Morning Transportation
July 1, 2019

PFC PUSH: Ahead of the busy July 4th travel week, a trade association representing airports wrote to members of Congress Monday asking them to raise the passenger facility charge, the user fee that funds infrastructure investments at airports. “Congress and the Administration have yet to make significant progress on updating the nearly 20-year-old PFC,” wrote Kevin Burke, president of Airports Council International-North America. (POLITICO Pro, 7/1/2019)

 

July 1, 2019

Dear Members of Congress:

On behalf of Airports Council International—North America (ACI-NA) – the trade association representing local, regional, and state governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports throughout the United States – I am writing to urge you to modernize the way we fund America’s airports by updating the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC).

As you are aware, we are quickly approaching the busy Fourth of July travel season, and airports expect to facilitate travel for a record number of passengers.  In recent years, airport traffic has skyrocketed with the number of people getting on flights increasing by 27 percent in the last 10 years.  To keep up with this increased demand and address the estimated $128 billion in airport infrastructure needs over the next five years, airports will need action from Congress.

Congress and the Administration have yet to make significant progress on updating the nearly 20-year-old PFC, the local user fee airports rely upon to fund major infrastructure investments.  Travelers deserve modern terminals and efficient security check points, yet are often forced to deal with aging and crowded airports.  Updating the PFC would allow airports to take on these infrastructure projects that would not only improve the travel experience for millions of Americans, but would also support millions of jobs.

There are dozens of much-needed, shovel-ready airport infrastructure projects currently on hold around the country because airports lack the funding to move forward, even if they exhausted their reserves and maxed-out their bonding capacity.  Fast-growing airports across the country are busting at the seams, but they lack adequate capital to implement their full master plans for all the new terminals, gates, security lanes, and runways they need to keep up with increasing passenger demands.  Simply put, airports will remain terminally challenged without an increase in the PFC.

A modernized PFC would also create competition among airlines, which will lower ticket prices, allowing more American families to travel to see loved ones or take a summer vacation.  Importantly, the PFC does not cost a dime of taxpayer dollars as it is a modest user fee paid only by those using the airport.

In an effort to raise awareness on this critical need, my organization and our members this year have conducted dozens of Hill meetings, organized airport fly-in events, and testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

We appreciate the Members’ time; however, we cannot emphasize enough that the time for Congress to act is now.  Our members stand ready to work with Congress and the Administration to fix America’s airports.  We look forward to getting this vital issue over the finish line.

Sincerely,

Kevin M. Burke
President and CEO
Airports Council International – North America