Affirms City's Control Of The Facility

In a document published June 6 in the Federal Register, the FAA has affirmed that the City of Charlotte (NC) is the controlling entity for Charlotte-Douglas International Airport.

The Charlotte Observer reports that, according to the document, the FAA will only entertain an application for a management change at the airport if there is a "legally definitive resolution of a dispute,” and that is not likely to happen ... at least any time soon.

The city and the state have been battling over control of the airport since 2013, when the NC General Assembly created a commission to oversee the airport. Republican legislators said the commission was necessary to prevent the city from "meddling" by the city. However the city, which is controlled by Democrats, said the move was a "power grab."

The city filed a lawsuit in 2014 to prevent the commission from taking over control of the airport, and a judge issued a permanent injunction that blocked the commission from operating the airport, leaving the city in control.

The FAA said that the decision is one that must be made locally.  “The state or local government must file an application for FAA approval of such a change," the agency said. "The clarification provides guidance as to FAA’s expectation that all local parties should be in agreement before filing the application.”

Former Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx, who is now the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, had strongly opposed the state takeover of the airport when he was mayor.

The FAA must approve any change in airport oversight, and the agency has encouraged the two sides to work together to resolve the dispute.

(Image from file)

FMI: http://charmeck.org, FAA Ruling