Privatizing Midway

There is progress being made to privatize Midway Airport. This is exactly what we have been discussing at AeroBlue.Org. There is a market for private owners and operators of airports, as well as government bodies and agencies that would like to leave airports to private enterprise.

The challange here is that Congress and the FAA will have to play "catch-up."

For instance, the FAA has strong policies that DISCRIMINATE against private owners. Midway Airport will no longer be a "Commercial Airport" because the FAA mandates that even privately owned airports that receive commercial air service still cannot be called commercial airports!

Huh?

Thats correct. Here it is on page 18 of 5090.3c

"(2) Privately owned public-use airports that enplane 2,500 or more passengers
annually and receive scheduled passenger service are also classified as general aviation
because they do not meet the criteria for commercial service (i.e., are not publicly owned)."

Its not clear why the FAA hates private airports when the airline industry thrives on competition? Rumor has it that the Airlines used this as a way to push the cost of the airport onto taxpayers. In many places, this has backfired, as now politicians are diverting funds and airport land to pet projects such as the $250Million the NJNY Port Authority paid that funded the Newark Hockey Arena.

Also, There are serious concerns from the users of the airport, the airlines and private aviation, that there is no regulation of prices. Since airports and other utilities are considered a "natural monopoly" there must be some regulation to avoid pricing gouging, discrimination and other unfair practices. Congress has addressed this with other modes of transportation by establishing regulation through the Surface Transportation Board (Formerly the Interstate Commerce Commission. )