The Global Gateway Alliance has conducted a survey which concluded that the three principal New York-area airports (JFK, Newark and LaGuardia) are severely underfunded by the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program.
According to the survey, 35% of $4 billion in FAA grants for airport improvements went to facilities that served fewer than 10,000 passengers, according to the survey.
Chairman of the Global Gateway Alliance Joe Sitt said: “When the federal government gives almost $1.4bn to airports that serve less than 1% of the nation’s passengers at the expense of the busiest airport system in the country, there’s something seriously wrong. Funding must be fixed to focus on airports like ours in New York and New Jersey that have real national significance.”
The FAA defends the program, stating that smaller airports support non-commercial flights for business, agriculture, firefighting and emergency response in many remote communities.
FAA spokeswoman Marcia Adams said: “These smaller airports are also vital to maintain our national system of airports.”
The New York City-area airports are among the busiest 100 airports that are allowed by the US government to impose a $4.50 charge on passenger tickets to pay for capital projects.
The New York Port Authority collected $232.4 million in passenger-facility charges last year, according to agency financial statements. The FAA has approved almost 400 airports to collect passenger charges.
Call for NYC airports to receive greater government funding
