Airports, airlines battle over ticket fees

Airports and airlines are at odds over the possibility of raising the cap on a fee automatically included in every airline ticket, after House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., outlined his support for modifying the cap as part of an infrastructure measure.

The passenger facility charge is a fee that has been capped at $4.50 since 2000. It goes toward funding projects that enhance safety, reduce noise, or generate competition among airlines. Airlines contend that passengers are already subjected to plenty of fees, while airports say that raising the fee would expedite improvements to airport infrastructure and accommodate passengers better.