Private Jets Oppose Assessment of Landing Fees
Corporate amd Private Aircraft Should Share in Airport Costs
Jun 24, 2008
Private jets don't pay their share of operational costs at airports, a recent report not funded by the FAA found. The fees are used in the maintenance and improvements of the airport. Not only that but the private jets receive a disproportionate share of Federal funds earmarked for maintaining the air traffic control system and other safety improvements. A recent study showed that of the 7 billion spent by the Federal government on capital improvements to airports, over 2 billion was actually used to maintain and construct off-site airports primarily used by private jets. Industry leaders and key members of Congress agree that the air traffic control system is in desperate need of modernization. Commercial and private flights in the United States are projected to increase from current levels of 45,000 a day to 61,000 a day by 2016.
Those who fly private jets enjoy a luxury that is unknown to the average commercial flyer. They skip security check lines, bag security checks, board with knives and are driven to their plane already on the tarmac. The taxpayers are funding many of these perks through the Federal allotments. Plus, private jet owners don’t have to pay a $3.40 segment fee, a $3 passenger facility fee, a $2.50 security fee and avoid a the 7.5% surcharge tax on tickets which is used for improving the air traffic control systems.
The private jet owners oppose any imposition of fees. Senator Jeff Bingaman of is the biggest hindrance in the passing congressional legislation on the issue thanks to the 1,300 Eclipse Aviation employees in Albuquerque who make those jets. He chaired a Senate Finance subcommittee where the owner of Eclipse said a bill approved earlier by the Senate Commerce Committee to levy a $25-per-flight fee on private jets would unfairly hurt customers and possibly sales of Eclipse's six-seat, $1.5 million very light jet.
Private jets cater to the rich. They carry celebrities and CEOs. The private jet market is very profitable. Yet they object to the $25 fee which they say would affect passengers and the entire industry including manufacturers. Selana Shilad is the executive director for Aviation Across America which supports private jet makers, their owners and users. She said that the recent report “unfairly attacked her members, most of whom are "farmers, small business owners and charities”.
On the other side of the argument was James Whitehurst, Chief operating officer of Delta Airlines. He quoted FAA data showing private jets pay only 6 percent of the taxes but account for 16 percent of the costs of the nation's air control system. He said that business aviation should pay its fair share and quit relying on airline passengers to make up the shortfall. The FAA’s own study reached much the same conclusions.
So in effect the commercial airline passenger is subsidizing the private jet industry and their elite passengers. They are unwilling to pay even a pittance for the use of the airports essential services. They even have congressional support to block legislation addressing the issue. Congress is bogged down, probably because of campaign money issues and the current administration’s money policies that seem to favor the rich. Many would say it is just one more example of corporate greed.
