Proposals Would Impact Corporate Operators... And GA Pilots

Yet another showdown is brewing between private pilots, corporate airlines and airport operators, with Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport considering charging landing fees for private aircraft. The airport says it is losing money each time a general aviation plane uses the field.

General aviation traffic makes up as much as 20 percent of the airport's daily operations, said aviation director Tom Jorgiello to the Miami Herald. He cites Miami Dolphins owner Wayne Huizenga, whose private 737 is a common sight at the airport. Huizenga doesn't pay a cent, said Jorgiello, although an airline could be charged as much as $200 for each time a comparable aircraft lands at FLL.

"This isn't designed to make a portion of general aviation traffic go away," aviation director Tom Jorgiello told the Miami Herald. "The intent of the program is to share the expenses."

Several of the LCCs that use Fort Lauderdale have lobbied for years to make GA pilots pay for what the airlines call their 'fair share'. Fuel has been added to the fire, so to speak, with the recent spike in fuel prices -- with commercial operators saying increased GA traffic is causing their planes to waste fuel as they wait on the tarmac behind corporate and private aircraft using the airport's one runway (9L/27R) suitable for commercial ops.

Another possibility -- relegating GA aircraft operations to the smaller south runway, which at 5,276 feet is well within the operating range of most GA aircraft -- is nearly impossible, said businessman Ed Zwirn, due to noise restrictions. Zwirn is president of corporate hangar operater Sheltair, which leases several hangars on the field.

Spirit Airlines president Ben Baldanza even goes as far as to state scheduled carriers "subsidize" GA operations. "[Landing fees] would appropriately lower the costs for the scheduled carriers," said Baldanza to the Herald.

The airport says it may soon begin charging a flat fee on aircraft under 15,000 lbs -- which means anything from a Lear 45 down to planes smaller than a 152 -- or increasing its existing 6-cent per gallon fuel tax.

Such a move would be comparable to a program underway in Miami, with pilots of smaller aircraft charged a flat $41 each time their planes touch down at MIA -- and while Fort Lauderdale officials acknowlege a plane such as a Piper Cub doesn't cause nearly as much wear and tear on runways as a Gulfstream, it still takes up valuable space at the airport.

Some involved in the fight told the Herald as long as the fees FLL charges are fair, corporate aviation is willing to step up. "We realize the cost of doing business is going up," said Zwirn. "We're OK with it, as long as it's a fair cost."

But others see challenges ahead, including corporate FBO operator Troy Menken, owner of Jetscape. "[Corporate jet owners] are interesting," Menken said. "They will pay $40,000 for gas, but when you try and charge them an extra $10 they scream. It's funny."

Yeah, it's funny... though Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood officials and business operators likely won't be laughing if they see some of their former customers moving their aircraft to Fort Lauderdale Executive, which doesn't charge user fees. Yet.

FMI: www.airnav.com/airport/KFLL