MCLENNAN COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — The City of Waco and the Waco Regional Airport plan to continue adding their passenger facility charge to anyone flying in and out of the airport.
- The passenger facility charge is a $4.50 charge going towards projects like rehabilitating the runway, adding safety features and extending the service road.
- Some visitors say it’s a small price to pay when you have free parking available. Joel Martinez with the airport says this charge helps create a better experience for our neighbors.
- Thursday August 1st is the final day of public comment period for the airport facility charge.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“It’s one of those taxes and fee’s that already on your bill,” said Joel Martinez, Director of Aviation for the City of Waco.
The City of Waco and the Waco Regional Airport plan to continue adding their passenger facility charge to anyone flying in and out of our local airport.
“The passenger facility charges is a charge the federal government allows airports to collect and help airports recoup some of the expenses for some of the larger projects that benefit obviously the passenger."
It will be a $4.50 charge, going towards projects like rehabilitating the runway, adding safety features and extending the service road.
"I’ve noticed the changes, so when I heard $4.50 — that’s really pretty cheap,” Kenneth Robison said.
Robison has flown in and out of Waco Regional Airport twice a year for the past 30 years to visit his family in McGregor.
“That’s a dual flight, from Charlotte, North Carolina from DFW, to Waco,” he said.
He says he doesn’t mind paying the extra few dollars, because every time he comes back, there’s always something new.
“I’ve seen it improve, I’ve noticed the improvement, in fact when I came in today, they didn’t have all this wood grain around the columns," Robison said.
"Everything just looks so much, so much better."
Some other visitors tell 25 News it’s a small price to pay when there's free parking available — Martinez with the airport says this charge helps create a better experience for our neighbors.
“We don’t see hundreds of thousands of passengers or million of passengers like some of the larger airports, so it helps smaller airports and still maintain some safety also a customer satisfaction,” Martinez said.
Martinez says when you buy a ticket at most airports, that $4.50 fee is attached.
This Thursday is the final day of public comment period for the airport facility charge.
For anyone who'd like to learn more or give a comment, email Joel Martinez at joelm@wacotx.gov.
