Just over a year ago, Congress passed a multi-year FAA reauthorization bill that will fundamentally change the Passenger Facility Charge program. Although the bill left the stagnant PFC cap in place, the legislation included a number of welcome PFC-related provisions that should help reduce the regulatory burden on airports.
During consideration of the FAA bill, lawmakers endorsed two key airport-backed proposals: They agreed to streamline the PFC application process for more airports, and they finally eliminated the so-called “significant contribution” test for large and medium hub airports.
Now the ball is in the FAA’s court, and the agency is responsible for implementing the PFC streamlining provisions and a long list of other mandates in the 1,200-page reauthorization bill.
Deputy FAA Administrator Dan Elwell discussed PFC streamlining with lawmakers when he testified on Capitol Hill last week. Elwell indicated that the agency “is making excellent progress in developing a proposed approach to a new pilot program, while also identifying opportunities to improve the existing process in the interim.”