Airlines Don't Want User Fees... Oh, The Delicious Irony...

Most economists agree landing fees for airliners, which vary based on traffic levels, are a good way to trigger market forces to solve congestion. Even The Department of Transportation agrees.

But now, The Associated Press reports the airline industry is threatening to sue DOT, saying it lacks the authority to give airports the green light to implement congestion pricing.

In his letter to US Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, Air Transport Association James May wrote "These actions are legally indefensible."

A DOT spokesman on Tuesday refuted that claim... but ATA spokesman David Castelveter added "We will pursue all of our options" to keep DOT from implementing the kind of user fees that, well, airlines want to see imposed on general aviation pilots.
 
The DOT's proposed policy, dubbed congestion pricing, is meant to push airlines to spread flights more evenly through the day and get congested airports to use landing fee revenue toward the costs of expansions to handle added traffic.

As ANN reported, the airport fee proposal was scheduled to start last month, but the airlines opposed the plan, and were granted a 30-day extension to comment.

FMI: www.dot.gov, www.airlines.org