The FAA recently ruled in favor of Key West International Airport after conducting a review of the field’s only FBO in response to a complaint filed last year by AOPA about pricing practices and ramp access at KEYW.
AOPA’s Part 13 complaint claimed that the Signature Flight Support FBO was violating Key West International Airport’s grant obligations through its pricing and ramp access practices, a charge the FAA rejected.
The FAA ruled in favor of the airport on three of four counts, finding there were no violations in pricing practices or control of transient parking. However, the airport did violate one of its obligations by not providing an area for aircraft owners to service their own airplanes.
“The FAA’s Airports Division, Southern Region hereby determines that, as to AOPA’s allegations, the County is currently in compliance with its grant assurances, with the exception of Grant Assurance 22(f) as it relates to the requirement that the County provide a location for self-service. The FAA will address compliance with Grant Assurance 22(f) directly with the County. No further review is warranted at this time,” wrote Heather A. Haney, FAA Airport Compliance Specialist, in an email.
AOPA also filed complaints against Asheville Regional Airport in North Carolina and Waukegan National Airport in Illinois, both of which have a single Signature Flight Support FBO. The FAA rejected the complaint against Asheville Regional Airport, and AOPA pulled its complaint against Waukegan National Airport after the field announced that free tie-down and ramp access would be provided for transient aircraft.
