SUPPORT SENATOR BUDD’S AMENDMENT #13 TO THE SENATE FAA REAUTHORIZATION BILL, S. 1939

AOPA has heard from thousands of pilots who frequently find themselves parking at an airport without requiring any FBO services, and they feel outraged when presented with exorbitant bills, amounting to hundreds or even thousands of dollars, for services they neither requested nor utilized.   

To illustrate, consider the following testimonials AOPA has received from pilots on FBO pricing and services:

• “On February 23, 2023, my wife and I flew our small 4-seat single-engine turboprop aircraft 41 miles to get lunch at a nearby airport cafe. It is not a large corporate jet or a charter aircraft. Upon departure, the FBO informed me that the parking fee was $245. Our total stay was approximately 1 hour! After reluctantly paying the fee, I discovered another $35 in “security” fees and taxes were added to my charges making this a nearly $300 event just for parking for one hour! The FBO offered to reduce the fee if I bought 56 gallons of fuel (at nearly $8.00 a gallon), but I could not accept this offer since I had only flown 15 minutes from our home airport and was nearly full of fuel.”
   
• A flight instructor and his student pilot decided to land their single-engine training aircraft to use a restroom and were charged $80 to park their aircraft for 10 minutes. “The only service rendered was the use of the FBO restroom. No fuel was purchased, and no other services were requested.”
   
• “I landed at KSUS to clear Customs and apparently the FBO controls the Customs ramp. An FBO employee waived me in and put chocks on my wheels – neither of which was necessary for clearing Customs. I didn’t purchase fuel, but I did receive an invoice from the FBO for $336.00 after having spent only 20 minutes on the ramp – 20 minutes! That’s absurd! They charged me an infrastructure fee of $25, a handling fee of $221.00, and an “administrative” fee of $90. I was there to clear U.S. Customs, and I thought my federal taxes paid for that federal service, but the FBO charged me a $90 “administrative” fee. The Customs personnel were very efficient, but these FBO fees are outrageous and are going to destroy general aviation. Please do something about it”
   
• "Was planning to fly my wife down to Boston Logan Airport to get her into Mass General Hospital for testing. It was intended to be a far less stressful alternative to driving through Boston as Mass General is less than four miles from the GA Ramp by taxi. I was looking at having to make the trip on a regular basis for my wife's tests. Ended up not flying in because excessive fees at Logan would mean almost $400.00 just to fly in and park my little Cessna 150 for a few hours."
   
• “It cost me about $700 just to park and pick up passengers in our single-engine turboprop aircraft. Ridiculous!”

Your support matters. Here’s what you can do to help:

Take action IMMEDIATELY by forwarding the letter provided below to your U.S. Senators, urging them to support Senator Budd’s amendment #13 and the Senate FAA Reauthorization bill, S. 1939.

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