The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association last week released a status update on a number of informal Part 13 complaints filed with the FAA against three U.S. airports, Chicago Waukegan (UGN), Florida’s Key West International (EYW) and Asheville Regional (AVL) in North Carolina.
AOPA Part 13 Airport Complaints Are Not Going Away
Key Takeaways:
- AOPA filed informal FAA complaints against three airports—Waukegan, Key West, and Asheville—over FBO pricing and access issues, successfully resolving the Waukegan case through the airport's "self-help" actions.
- The complaints at Key West and Asheville allege pilots are forced to pay for unneeded services and face "egregious pricing practices" by single FBOs (Signature Flight Support).
- Signature argues its exclusive lease on transient parking ramps exempts it from FAA public access standards, a position AOPA views as a "scary precedent" that would undermine general aviation access.
- Asheville airport, despite initial claims of no prior complaints, found Signature's fees "unnecessarily complicated" and is exploring adding a second FBO, aligning with AOPA's broader strategy to encourage competition and "self-help" solutions.
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