Airport officials denied requests by Marcus and Denise Beasley to open their Church?s Chicken at 9 a.m. instead of 5 a.m. and to change their menu pricing even though other restaurants at Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport were allowed to do so.
The Beasleys closed their restaurant last month because they claim restrictions placed on them by the airport?s management prevented them from making money.
According to responses by the Maryland Aviation Administration to questions from the Federal Aviation Administration, a request similar to the Beasleys? was approved for Charlie Chiang?s at BWI.
The Beasleys opened their restaurant as part of the MAA?s effort to boost minority operations and contract services at the airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the Beasleys? complaints.
Two changes that the Beasleys sought were granted to other food establishments at the airport, according to documented responses from the state aviation administration.
One particular request was that their restaurant be allowed to open at 9 a.m. instead of 5 a.m., arguing that with no a breakfast menu, few customers would want to buy fried chicken at 5 a.m.
Their request was denied by BAA Maryland, which oversees theairport?s food establishments, said the Beasleys.
But according to the Maryland Aviation Administration?s response to FAA questions, BAA Maryland agreed to allow Charlie Chiang?s, a Chinese fast-food restaurant at the airport, to open at 9 a.m. instead of 5 a.m. at the owner?s request.
The Beasleys also asked to change their menu prices, which are fixed based on the comparison to a inner-city, low-income area Church?s Chicken in Philadelphia.
Jonathan Dean, a spokesman for the Maryland Aviation Administration, said the FAA is investigating the Beasleys? grievances but he added that the state has had success with other minority business owners at BWI.
“[Disadvantaged Business Enterprise?s] food sales [at BWI] stand at 46 percent of all airport food sales this year,” Dean said. “That figure is very good for the year and is well above the central goals of MAA.”
