NATA Rejects AOPA's Claims and Assertions Regarding the FBO and Airport Community

The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) is continuing to educate the public in light of the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association’s (AOPA) campaign recently referred to as “Denial of Airport Access & Egregious FBO Fees.” NATA urges the industry and public to gain a better understanding of the landscape of general aviation to avoid potential unintended consequences derived from AOPA’s misguided assumptions on pricing at publicly-funded airports.

“We believe AOPA’s initiative risks increasing costs for users, will redirect resources from important operational and safety projects at airports, and fails to recognize how airports carry out mandates from TSA and satisfy its rigorous requirements,” NATA President Marty Hiller stated.

Last month, the FAA released decisions ruling largely against AOPA in its filings, alleging “egregious FBO pricing practices” at Florida’s Key West International Airport (EYW) and North Carolina’s Asheville Regional Airport (AVL).

“Earlier this year, NATA launched the Real FBO Facts, an ongoing initiative to educate the public on the economics of aviation businesses, the pricing of aeronautical services, industry consolidation and the airport sponsor-tenant relationship,” Hiller added.

To date, AOPA has only identified 13 airports where they see a problem out of a total of 5,136 public use airports.

Every FBO market and region is different, with specific local economic circumstances. NATA encourages airport users to talk with the airport manager and FBO when an issue arises.

“NATA remains focused on educating the public on the realities of running aviation businesses and collaborating to find solutions specific to each airport — instead of a universal approach that will not consider unique characteristics found at every airport,” Hiller concluded.