"Dallas City Council Recommends Increase in Airport Parking Fees"

Tuesday, November 5, 2002

Dallas City Council Recommends Increase in Airport Parking Fees
The Dallas (TX) Morning News


A Dallas City Council committee recommends increasing parking fees for
travelers, rather than landing fees for airlines, to raise money needed
to pay back debt and continue construction projects at Dallas Love
Field. 

Members of the Business and Commerce committee voted 6-1 Monday to raise
short-term rates by $3 a day and long-term rates by $2 a day. They also
endorsed creating a valet service for $17 a day and making airport
workers pay $30 a month to park. 

The full council will vote on the changes Dec. 11. If approved, the
higher rates will go into effect March 1. 

Parking is getting a lot of attention from airport executives in North
Texas as they try to cope with declining revenues and increased
competition from off-site parking companies. 

On Monday, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport initiated its own
parking changes. Fees there remain the same. 

D/FW rechristened the former Value AA and Terminal B Remote parking lots
as Express South and Express North. Those lots feature 20 new vans and
offer luggage assistance, complimentary window washing, bottled water
and newspapers.

The North and South shuttle lots were renamed Remote parking and offer
eight new buses that offer real-time flight information and direct
service to terminals. 

Brad Davis of Fort Worth noticed the changes. 

"It's pretty clear," he said. "It's better than it used to be. 

I think the signage is a little better." 

D/FW spokesman Ken Capps said stories like Mr. Davis' were common
Monday. 

"We had people telling us we were saving them a lot of steps between
their car and the terminal," he said. 

In Dallas, City Council member John Loza said he supported the Love
Field fee increase recommendation because he believes travelers can
absorb the increases. Many airlines, on the other hand, are in a
financial free-fall and would probably oppose higher landing fees. 

"A lot of people, when they park at the airport, are more concerned with
convenience than price," Mr. Loza said. "I think people will still find
the convenience overrides the increase."

Only Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill voted against the higher rate. He said he
opposed charging passengers more money but could support raising rents
for airport tenants and other fees. 

"I don't think we want to discourage any more passengers" from using
Love Field, he said. 

The fee change would apply to more than 8,000 parking spaces. 

In February, the airport will open a new garage that was built using
most of $59 million in bonds issued last year. 

Aviation officials said the increased parking revenue would raise $2.4
million. They also recommend increasing rates for hangar users and other
tenants as their leases come up for renewal, which could raise $9
million over 10 years. 

The additional revenue will help balance the airport's revenues and
expenditures, officials said. Love Field has experienced 20 percent
fewer landings in 2002, and parking revenues are down 27 percent,
according to city figures. 

The forecast for 2003 shows projected revenues that are 15 percent short
of expenses. Airport administrators are covering the shortfall with
money from a cash reserve. 

Love Field still can pay its debts, officials said, but the airport's
bond rating could be downgraded if revenues do not improve.


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