Airports Council Welcomes New Independent Research on Airport Infrastructure Investment

January 15, 2020

WASHINGTON – Airports Council International – North American (ACI-NA) today welcomed independent analysis calling for Congress to modernize the Passenger Facility Charge local user fee to spur much needed investment in aging airport infrastructure.  The study, “U.S. Airport Infrastructure and Funding,” was released on January 14, 2020, by the RAND Corporation in fulfillment of congressional-mandated research as part of the 2018 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reauthorization act.

“With more than $100 billion in infrastructure needs through 2023, U.S. airports have made a very clear and compelling case about the need to invest in our aging infrastructure,” said ACI-NA President and CEO Kevin M. Burke.  “This new independent research – conducted under congressional mandate – reaffirms our long held position that modernizing the locally set Passenger Facility Charge user fee remains the most cost effective and sustainable approach to solving the significant infrastructure challenges plaguing airports and their ability to serve their passengers, customers, and communities.  Now stagnate at $4.50 for 20 years, modernizing the PFC is long overdue.

“This new study also rightly calls out the airlines who continue to shortchange airport infrastructure investment through their practice of separating bag fees and other ancillary charges from base airfares.  This practice allows the airlines to pocket more profits off the backs of their passengers without paying their fair share into the Airport and Airways Trust Fund that funds essential aviation-related projects.”

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About ACI-NA

Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) represents local, regional, and state governing bodies that own and operate commercial airports in the United States and Canada. ACI-NA member airports enplane more than 95 percent of the domestic and virtually all the international airline passenger and cargo traffic in North America. Approximately 380 aviation-related businesses are also members of ACI-NA, providing goods and services to airports. Collectively, U.S. airports support more than 11.5 million jobs and account for $1.4 trillion in economic activity – or more than seven percent of the total U.S. GDP. Canadian airports support 405,000 jobs and contribute C$35 billion to Canada’s GDP. Learn more at www.airportscouncil.org.