Falcon Field’s Landing Fee Proposal Sparks Battle Between Airport Tenants and Area Residents

Mesa, Arizona, facility seeks $2.6 million for self-sufficiency, but the new charge threatens flight schools and pilot training.

Meg Godlewski

Monday, March 09, 2026 at 01:18 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Falcon Field city sponsor Mesa, Arizona, wants to create landing fees at the airport, but flight schools are against it. [Credit: Falcon Field Airport]

Key Takeaways:

Falcon Field Airport (KFFZ) is proposing new landing fees, sparking debate between local residents who support them to reduce noise and traffic, and airport tenants, particularly flight schools, who oppose them due to significant cost increases.
The City of Mesa justifies the landing fees as essential to cover $2.6 million in annual airfield expenses and ensure the airport's financial self-sufficiency, as previous one-time funds are depleted and deferred maintenance is critical.
Opponents argue the proposed $20 per landing fee would disproportionately impact flight schools, which rely on multiple takeoffs and landings for training, potentially forcing them to reduce activity, relocate, and negatively affect the airport's overall business ecosystem.
The proposal follows a substantial increase in airport operations and recent safety concerns due to crashes, intensifying resident calls for measures to reduce aircraft noise and traffic.

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The proposal to implement landing fees at Falcon Field Airport (KFFZ) in Mesa, Arizona, is generating pushback from airport tenants and users, but there’s support from residential neighborhoods surrounding it that perceive the charges as a means to reduce noise levels by reducing traffic.

Falcon Field Airport has two parallel runways: 4L/22R, measuring 3,799 feet by 75 feet, and 4R/22L, measuring 5,100 by 100. The airport sits in Class D airspace beneath the Phoenix Class B.