If major US airports thought they were immune from the Department of Transportation's surge of interest in anti-competitive behaviour, they can think again. DOT secretary Rodney Slater is establishing a taskforce with airports in mind.
Details of what the taskforce will be looking at are not yet clear, although Slater has highlighted some areas of concern and says he expects a report early next year. 'Airline competition can be affected by the interactions between airlines and airports,' says Slater. 'This is why I am establishing a new taskforce on airport practices and their impact on competition. This taskforce will address concerns that certain airport practices, such as the use of passenger facility charges and long-term gate leases, can diminish competition.'
The taskforce is also expected to study airport access issues for startups, financing of new terminals, and industrial and environmental issues that impact airport planning. Taskforce team members will be at a high level and will include Federal Aviation Administration administrator Jane Garvey and DOT assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs Charles Hunnicutt.
Although Slater insists that his goal is to bring 'common sense government to consumers' and not to 'tear down' the industry, the idea of a taskforce will be troubling to the major airports, which are campaigning this year to be allowed greater autonomy in order to implement expansion plans to keep up with traffic growth. The airports are also seeking to increase the amount of money they are allowed to raise through passenger facility charges.
Source: Airline Business
