2000-05-30
★
In May 2000, the FAA issued a final rule updating the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) program, allowing airports to increase per-passenger fees from a maximum of $3 to up to $4.50, as authorized by the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR 21). The updated rules set eligibility requirements for projects funded at the higher fee levels, including a requirement that projects at medium and large hub airports make a significant contribution to goals such as reducing aviation noise impacts on nearby communities. Airports seeking the higher PFC levels must also demonstrate that proposed projects cannot be adequately funded through the existing Airport Improvement Program.
Every time you fly out of Sea-Tac, $4.50 of your ticket price goes directly to the airport. That charge, called a Passenger Facility Charge (PFC), is a multi-billion dollar fund, and one of the biggest single revenue sources for airport expansion. In the past it was used for noise-mitigation programs. Today? Not so much.
2025-06-09
Funding Port Package updates made simple There’s always been confusion about Port Packages (sound insulation): Who pays for it? Who can pay for it? Who is eligible? Who should be eligible? There are a bunch of rules governing all of the above. They may seem complicated. Because they are. But the actual solutions are simple.
The Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) Program allows the collection of PFC fees up to $4.50 for every enplaned passenger at commercial airports controlled by public agencies. PFCs are capped at $4.50 per flight segment with a maximum of two PFCs charged on a one-way trip or four PFCs on a round trip, for a maximum
2017-10-16
In this October 2017 letter, Port of Seattle Commission President Tom Albro responds to the Burien City Council regarding inaccuracies in a draft white paper produced by the Burien Airport Committee. Albro clarifies that airport improvements are funded primarily through Passenger Facility Charges paid by airline travelers—not local property taxes—and defends the Port's noise mitigation and air quality efforts, noting nearly $400 million spent on programs including home insulation and school soundproofing. He also invites Burien to participate in a new airport stakeholder advisory roundtable as a forum for ongoing community engagement on airport-related issues.
1992-09-01
In a September 1, 1992 letter to the FAA Administrator, the Regional Commission on Airport Affairs formally requests reconsideration of the FAA's August 14, 1992 decision approving Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs) at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The Commission, representing communities near Sea-Tac severely impacted by aircraft noise, argues that PFC funds should be redirected toward noise mitigation efforts rather than security improvements and preliminary studies, and that local governments were not properly notified or consulted during the PFC application process. The letter calls for increased funding levels for noise mitigation, cancellation of certain approved expenditures deemed inappropriate or excessive, and greater consideration of local government views in future PFC allocation decisions.
2000-05-30
2025-06-09
2017-10-16
1992-09-01