Landing, parking fees increase for GA operators in Aspen
Despite opposition from AOPA and concerned pilots, local officials in Pitkin County, Colorado, voted to raise parking and landing fees for general aviation operators in 2024 while lowering costs for airlines.
The new fee schedule for airport rates and charges at the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport was presented to the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) during a December 6 work session. The proposed rates for 2024 would lower landing fees for airlines while increasing landing fees for GA pilots by nearly 10 percent. Additionally, users who rent ramp parking would be subject to a more than 20-percent increase in fees.
Additionally, the county stands to collect nearly half a billion dollars from Atlantic Aviation because of the terms of a 2023 lease that include an enormous increase in annual base rent and a 100-fold increase in fuel flowage fees. According to The Aspen Times, annual base rent will increase from $211,829 to $1.75 million, and the minimum annual guaranteed fuel flowage fees will increase from $120,000 to $12 million in the first year and $18 million in subsequent years. All of this funding is on top of the $77 million in federal Airport Improvement Project grants the airport has received since 2005.
According to federal rules, the airport sponsor must ensure the airport is made available on reasonable terms. The FAA also cautions airports against accumulating an excessive surplus of revenue because it may call into question whether the airport is adhering to this assurance stipulation that qualifies airports for federal grant funding.
In a December 19 letter to BOCC Chair Francie Jacober, AOPA President Mark Baker expressed specific concerns, urging the board to review the proposal and subsequently withdraw or reject these increases for FAR Part 91 operators, who do not have the same luxury as commercial operators to pass down these egregious fees to customers.
Moreover, reporting by The Aspen Times states the annual rate and charges of Aspen-Pitkin County Airport are always presented to the airlines for input, and BOCC meeting documents indicate they were consulted for the 2024 proposal. “We are not aware of any attempt to contact general aviation operators who are subject to these proposed fee increases,” said Baker, adding, “Part 91 pilots don’t expect to use airports for free, but they are willing to pay fair and reasonable fees when appropriate.”
AOPA will be working with the FAA to address the apparent contradictory practices or standards for commercial and GA operators when it comes to fees at public-use airports. AOPA will also continue to encourage the FAA to establish needed additional guidelines for airports and FBOs that are consistent with current federal requirements regarding the imposition and collection of fair and reasonable fees.
The BOCC unanimously approved the new airport rates and charges for 2024 at a second reading on December 20. The rates will go into effect on January 1.
