Airport Finance
Observations on Planned Airport Development Costs and Funding Levels and the Administration's Proposed Changes in the Airport Improvement Program Gao ID: GAO-07-885 June 29, 2007To address the strain on the aviation system, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has proposed transitioning to the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). To fund this system and to make its costs to users more equitable, the Administration has proposed fundamental changes in the way that FAA is funded. As part of the reauthorization, the Administration proposes major changes in the way that grants through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) are funded and allocated to the 3,400 airports in the national airport system. In response, GAO was asked for an update on current funding levels for airport development and the sufficiency of those levels to meet planned development costs. This report comprises capital development estimates made by FAA and Airports Council International (ACI), a leading industry association; analyzes how much airports have received for capital development and if sustained, whether it can meet future planned development; and summarizes the effects of proposed changes in funding for airport development. Airport funding and planned development data are drawn from the best available sources and have been assessed for their reliability. The Department of Transportation agreed with the findings of this report. This report does not contain recommendations.
Planned airport development costs total at least $14 billion annually over the next 5 years as expressed in 2006 dollars. This estimate is a combination of FAA's estimate of $8.2 billion in AIP grant-eligible projects and $5.8 billion from ACI's estimate of projects not eligible for AIP. FAA's estimate is based on airport master plans that FAA planners have reviewed and entered into a database of all national system airports. ACI also estimates airports' planned development, based on a survey of the 100 largest airports and includes all projects regardless of grant eligibility. From 2001 through 2005, airports received an average of about $13 billion a year for planned capital development. This amount covers all types of projects, including those not eligible for federal grants. The primary source of this funding was bonds, which averaged almost $6.5 billion per year, followed by federal grants and passenger facility charges (PFC), which accounted for $3.6 billion and $2.2 billion, respectively. If airports continue to attract this level of funding for planned capital development, this amount would annually fall at least $1 billion short of the $14 billion in total planned development costs (the sum of FAA's estimated $8.2 billion in eligible costs and the industry's $5.8 billion in ineligible costs). Larger airports foresee a decline of at least $600 million annually, while smaller airports foresee a decline of at least $400 million annually. FAA's reauthorization proposal would reduce the size of AIP by $750 million but increase the amount that airports can collect from PFCs. However, the benefit from increased PFCs would accrue mostly to larger airports and would not offset a reduced AIP grants program for smaller airports. The proposal would also change the way that AIP and other FAA programs are funded. The new fuel taxes that FAA has proposed may not provide the revenues for AIP that FAA anticipates.
GAO-07-885, Airport Finance: Observations on Planned Airport Development Costs and Funding Levels and the Administration's Proposed Changes in the Airport Improvement Program
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Report to the Subcommittee on Aviation, Committee on Transportation and
Infrastructure, House of Representatives:
United States Government Accountability Office:
GAO:
June 2007:
Airport Finance:
Observations on Planned Airport Development Costs and Funding Levels
and the Administration's Proposed Changes in the Airport Improvement
Program Airport Finance:
GAO-07-885:
GAO Highlights:
Highlights of GAO-07-885, a report to Subcommittee on Aviation
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House of
Representatives
Why GAO Did This Study:
To address the strain on the aviation system, the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) has proposed transitioning to the Next Generation
Air Transportation System (NextGen). To fund this system and to make
its costs to users more equitable, the Administration has proposed
fundamental changes in the way that FAA is funded.
As part of the reauthorization, the Administration proposes major
changes in the way that grants through the Airport Improvement Program
(AIP) are funded and allocated to the 3,400 airports in the national
airport system. In response, GAO was asked for an update on current
funding levels for airport development and the sufficiency of those
levels to meet planned development costs. This report comprises capital
development estimates made by FAA and Airports Council International
(ACI), a leading industry association; analyzes how much airports have
received for capital development and if sustained, whether it can meet
future planned development; and summarizes the effects of proposed
changes in funding for airport development.
Airport funding and planned development data are drawn from the best
available sources and have been assessed for their reliability. The
Department of Transportation agreed with the findings of this report.
This report does not contain recommendations.
What GAO Found:
Planned airport development costs total at least $14 billion annually
over the next 5 years as expressed in 2006 dollars. This estimate is a
combination of FAA‘s estimate of $8.2 billion in AIP grant-eligible
projects and $5.8 billion from ACI‘s estimate of projects not eligible
for AIP. FAA‘s estimate is based on airport master plans that FAA
planners have reviewed and entered into a database of all national
system airports. ACI also estimates airports‘ planned development,
based on a survey of the 100 largest airports and includes all projects
regardless of grant eligibility.
From 2001 through 2005, airports received an average of about $13
billion a year for planned capital development. This amount covers all
types of projects, including those not eligible for federal grants. The
primary source of this funding was bonds, which averaged almost $6.5
billion per year, followed by federal grants and passenger facility
charges (PFC), which accounted for $3.6 billion and $2.2 billion,
respectively (see figure below). If airports continue to attract this
level of funding for planned capital development, this amount would
annually fall at least $1 billion short of the $14 billion in total
planned development costs (the sum of FAA‘s estimated $8.2 billion in
eligible costs and the industry‘s $5.8 billion in ineligible costs).
Larger airports foresee a decline of at least $600 million annually,
while smaller airports foresee a decline of at least $400 million
annually.
FAA‘s reauthorization proposal would reduce the size of AIP by $750
million but increase the amount that airports can collect from PFCs.
However, the benefit from increased PFCs would accrue mostly to larger
airports and would not offset a reduced AIP grants program for smaller
airports. The proposal would also change the way that AIP and other FAA
programs are funded. The new fuel taxes that FAA has proposed may not
provide the revenues for AIP that FAA anticipates.
Figure: Comparison of Past Airport Funding to Future Development Costs:
[See PDF for Image]
Sources: GAO analysis of FAA, ACI, Thomson Financial, and state grant
data.
[End of figure]
[Hyperlink, http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-07-885].
To view the full product, including the scope and methodology, click on
the link above. For more information, contact Gerald L. Dillingham at
(202) 512-2834 or DillinghamG@gao.gov.
[End of section]
Contents:
Letter:
Results in Brief:
Background:
Planned Development Costs at Least $14 billion Annually:
Airports Have Averaged about $13 Billion Annually in Capital Financing
over the Last 5 Years and Use a Variety of Funding Sources:
Total Planned Development Exceeds Past Funding Levels by At Least $1
Billion Annually:
Administration's FAA Reauthorization Proposal Would Increase Potential
Funding for Larger Airports, while Funding for Smaller Airports Could
Be Reduced:
Agency Comments:
Appendix I: Sources of Airports' Capital Funding:
Appendix II: Key Changes Proposed in AIP:
Appendix III: Scope and Methodology:
Appendix IV: GAO Contacts and Staff Acknowledgments:
Related GAO Products:
Tables:
Table 1: Sources of Airport Funding, 2001-2005:
Table 2: Estimated Distribution of AIP Funds at $2.75 Billion and $3.5
Billion Funding Levels under Current and Proposed Authorization
Formulas:
Table 3: Effect of Proposed Authorization Formula on Smaller Airports:
Table 4: Projected PFC Collections with a $6 PFC:
Table 5: Projected Airport and Airway Trust Fund in 2009 under the
Reauthorization Proposal:
Table 6: Comparison of Current AIP authorization and Proposed
Reauthorization:
Figures:
Figure 1: Categories of U.S. Airports:
Figure 2: Funding Sources by Size of Airport, 2001-2005:
Figure 3: Comparison of Past Airport Funding to Future Development
Costs:
Figure 4: Comparison of Larger Airports' Past Funding to Future
Development Costs:
Figure 5: Comparison of Smaller Airports' Past Funding to Future
Development Costs:
Figure 6: Comparison of Airports' Past Annual Funding to Future
Development Costs:
Figure 7: AIP Grants to Airports by Category of Airport, 2001-2005:
Figure 8: Passenger Facility Charges by Airport Category, 2001-2005:
Figure 9: Airport Bonds Issued by Airport Category, 2001-2005:
Figure 10: State Grants to Airports by Category of Airport, 2001-2005:
Abbreviations:
ACI: Airports Council International:
AIP: Airport Improvement Program:
DOT: Department of Transportation:
EAS: Essential Air Service:
FAA: Federal Aviation Administration:
GA: General Aviation:
NASAO: National Association of State Aviation Officials:
PFC: passenger facility charge:
RE&D: Research, Engineering and Development:
United States Government Accountability Office:
Washington, DC 20548:
June 29, 2007:
The Honorable Jerry F. Costello:
Chairman:
Subcommittee on Aviation:
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure:
House of Representatives:
The Honorable Thomas E. Petri:
Ranking Republican Member:
Subcommittee on Aviation:
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure:
House of Representatives:
Once again, the nation's airports are having to cope with capacity
issues. Air traffic has risen back above pre-September 11 levels, as
has the level of delays. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
operates one of the safest air transportation systems in the world, but
it is also a system under strain. Last year, one in four flights was
subject to flight delays. In addition, the system is expected to absorb
a variety of new and differing aircraft in the future, ranging from the
jumbo Airbus A380, which can hold more than 500 passengers, to very
light jets, which carry only a few passengers and could greatly
increase the number of aircraft in the air. Demand for air travel is
expected to reach 1 billion passengers by 2015, according to FAA
estimates. The consensus of opinion is that the current aviation system
cannot expand to meet this projected growth. FAA is developing a
modernization program for its air traffic control system called the
Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) to accommodate this
growth. To fund this system, FAA has proposed relying on a cost-based
system using airline user fees and increased fuel taxes instead of
passenger ticket taxes and other excise taxes that are due to expire at
the end of September 2007. In regard to airports, the Administration is
proposing $2.75 billion to fund the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) -
-which is substantially less than the current level--and changing the
way that grants to the 3,400 airports in the national airport system
are funded and allocated under AIP. The Administration's proposal would
also allow commercial airports to impose higher passenger facility
charges (PFC) to pay for capital projects.[Footnote 1]
In anticipation of this year's reauthorization of FAA, you asked for an
update on airports' past funding levels from our previous
reports,[Footnote 2] the sufficiency of those levels to meet planned
development, and how the Administration's proposed reauthorization will
affect airports. For this update, we provided responses to these key
questions:
* What is the estimated cost of planned airport capital development for
2007 through 2011?
* How much have airports received for capital development and where is
the money coming from?
* If past funding levels continue, will they be sufficient to meet
planned capital development costs for 2007 through 2011?
* What are some of the potential effects of changes in how airport
development will be funded as part of the Administration's FAA
reauthorization legislation?
To determine how much planned development would cost over the next 5
years, we obtained planned capital development data from FAA and the
Airports Council International (ACI), a leading industry association.
To determine the sources of airport funding, we obtained capital
funding data from FAA, the National Association of State Aviation
Officials (NASAO), and Thomson Financial, a firm that tracks all
municipal bond issues. We obtained funding data from 2001 through 2005
because these were the most recent years for which consistent data were
available and then adjusted the amounts for inflation to 2006 dollars
so that they could be compared to planned development amounts, which
are also expressed in 2006 dollars. We screened the planned development
and funding data for accuracy and compared funding streams across
databases where possible. We did not, however, audit how the databases
had been compiled. We reviewed the reliability of these data and
concluded that the data were sufficiently reliable for our purposes.
We conducted our work from August 2006 to May 2007 in accordance with
generally accepted government auditing standards. More details about
the scope and the methodology of our work are presented in appendix
III.
Results in Brief:
Planned airport capital development costs total at least $14 billion
annually over the next 5 years as expressed in 2006 dollars. This
estimate is a combination of FAA's estimate of $8.2 billion in AIP-
eligible projects and $5.8 billion from ACI's estimate of projects not
eligible for AIP. FAA's estimate is based on airport master plans that
FAA planners have reviewed and entered into a database of all national
system airports. ACI also estimates airports' planned development,
based on a survey of the 100 largest airports, but its estimates
include all projects regardless of grant eligibility. Given the greater
detail and verification entailed in FAA's estimates, we used FAA's
estimates for AIP-eligible projects and, lacking any other source, used
ACI's estimate for non-eligible projects.
From 2001 through 2005, airports received an average of about $13
billion a year for planned capital development from a variety of
funding sources. This amount includes funding for all types of
projects, including those not eligible for AIP grants. The primary
source of this funding was municipal bond proceeds (backed primarily by
airport revenues), which averaged almost $6.5 billion per year,
followed by AIP and PFCs, which accounted for $3.6 billion and $2.2
billion, respectively. Of the $2.2 billion in PFC collections, 30
percent could go to bond financing. Within the national airport system,
the 67 larger airports, which account for 90 percent of passengers,
rely more heavily on bond financing to fund their development, while
the other approximately 3,300 smaller airports in the national system
are more reliant on federal grants.[Footnote 3]
The combined estimate for FAA's AIP-eligible and ACI's AIP-ineligible
projects for 2007 through 2011 exceeds past funding levels by at least
$1 billion annually. While this difference is not an absolute predictor
of future funding shortfalls--both funding and planned development may
change in the future--it is useful indicator of funding differences
over time and between different sizes of airports. This difference is
smaller than the $3 billion annual average we estimated in 1998 and
2003, indicating that airports' financial health and access to capital
may have improved.[Footnote 4] A difference between past funding and
future development plans also exists for both larger and smaller
airports. The 67 larger airports averaged $9.4 billion annually in
funding, as compared to at least $10 billion annually in AIP-eligible
and ineligible projects--a difference of at least $600 million
annually. All other airports, including general aviation airports,
averaged $3.6 billion annually in funding, as compared to at least $4
billion annually in AIP-eligible and ineligible projects, a difference
of at least $400 million annually. The difference between past funding
and planned development may be larger than our estimate because of some
double counting of PFC collections that are used to finance bond
proceeds and because FAA's estimate of planned development may exclude
some eligible development.
The Administration's reauthorization proposal would provide more money
to larger airports through an increase in the PFC ceiling but would not
benefit smaller airports that are more reliant on AIP. The proposal
would reduce the AIP grants program by $750 million (or more than 20
percent of its current level) but increase the amount that airports can
collect from PFCs from $4.50 per passenger to $6.00 per passenger,
potentially increasing larger airports' collections by $1.1 billion.
Smaller airports would receive a larger portion of AIP funds, but this
shift would not compensate for the overall reduction in AIP, especially
for general aviation airports that have no ability to collect PFCs. As
a separate issue, the Administration's reauthorization proposal would
also change the way that AIP and other FAA programs are funded. New
fuel taxes that have been proposed to fund AIP and other programs, and
if they do not generate the amount of revenue that is anticipated,
additional sources of revenue may have to be found.
We provided a draft of this report to DOT and ACI. FAA responded for
DOT and agreed with the facts of the report while ACI suggested our
report use a different approach in developing our estimate. FAA's
Manager of Airports Financial Assistance in the Office of Airport
Planning & Programming in e-mailed comments, emphasized that any
difference between past funding and future planned development did not
mean that necessary airport projects would not be built. In FAA's view,
large airports, in particular can obtain additional private capital to
meet their funding needs. ACI's President in a letter to GAO suggested
that our report should provide a range of planned development and
funding amounts rather than a single amount. In ACI's view, the full
amount of their $15.6 billion planned development estimate should be
used and also suggested that we recalculate the historical funding
stream based on the effect of using PFCs to finance capital development
and preexisting claims on AIP funds in the future. As explained
elsewhere in this report, we used the best available data to develop
our estimates of both historical funding and planned development in
line with prior GAO reports on this topic. Both DOT and ACI provided
some clarifying and technical comments which we have incorporated as
appropriate.
Background:
The United States has the largest, most extensive aviation system in
the world, with more than 19,000 airports. U.S. airports range from
large commercial transportation centers enplaning more than 49 million
passengers annually to small grass airstrips serving only a few
aircraft each year. Of these, 3,364 are designated as part of the
national airport system and are therefore eligible for federal
assistance. The federal interest in capital investment for airports has
been guided by several objectives, most notably ensuring safety and
security, preserving and enlarging the system's capacity, helping small
commercial and general aviation airports, funding noise mitigation, and
environmental protection.
National system airports are of two types--commercial service airports,
which total 517, have scheduled service, and enplane 2,500 or more
passengers; and general aviation airports, which total 2,847, have no
scheduled service, and enplane fewer than 2,500 passengers. (See fig.
1.) FAA further divides commercial service airports into primary
airports (enplaning more than 10,000 passengers annually) and other
commercial service airports. The 382 primary airports are arranged into
various classes of hub airports--large, medium, small, and nonhub.
Statutorily, large and medium hub airports are designated as large
primary airports and must contribute a large share to projects funded
under AIP as well as forgo a portion of their AIP entitlement funds if
they collect PFCs.
Figure 1: Categories of U.S. Airports:
[See PDF for image]
Source: FAA.
[End of figure]
Planned Development Costs at Least $14 Billion Annually:
Planned airport development costs, expressed in 2006 dollars, are at
least $14 billion annually over the next 5 years. This estimate is a
combination of $8.2 billion from FAA's estimate of AIP-eligible planned
development and $5.8 billion from ACI's estimate of other planned
development costs not eligible for AIP. Projects that are eligible for
AIP grants include runways, taxiways, and noise mitigation and
reduction efforts; projects that are not eligible for AIP funding
include parking garages, hangars, and commercial space in terminals.
In combining FAA and ACI data, we attempted to provide the best
possible estimate of future airport development costs. FAA's estimate
is based primarily on airport master plans for all airports in the
national system and is verified by FAA planners as necessary future
development. Despite this scrutiny, however, the FAA's estimate is
lacking in that some future projects are removed from the database if
funding from other sources (such as PFCs or bonds) is identified, while
some completed projects remain in the database if they are still to be
funded by AIP in future years. Meanwhile, ACI's estimate is drawn from
a survey of the 100 largest airports and lacks project detail as
compared to FAA's database which is verified against the airport's
master plan by an FAA airport planner.[Footnote 5] For airports that
did not respond to its survey, ACI either extrapolated future costs
based on the responses of similar-sized airports or used FAA's
estimates (for smaller airports). Therefore, given the greater detail
and verification entailed in FAA's estimates, we used FAA's estimates
for AIP-eligible projects, and lacking any other source, used ACI's
estimate for non eligible projects.[Footnote 6] This is the same
approach that we used in 1998 and 2003.
Airports Have Averaged about $13 Billion Annually in Capital Financing
over the Last 5 Years and Use a Variety of Funding Sources:
From 2001 to 2005, the 3,364 active airports that make up the national
airport system received an average of about $13 billion per year for
planned capital development from a variety of funding sources.
(Additional information on each of these funding sources is contained
in app. I.) These funds are used for both AIP-eligible and ineligible
projects. The single largest source of these funds was bond proceeds,
backed primarily by airport revenues, followed by AIP grants, PFCs, and
state and local contributions (see table 1). Some airports use their
PFCs to finance bond issues--paying interest on existing bonds--as much
as 30 percent of PFC collections by some estimates, which is money that
cannot be used for new development. We were unable to make a precise
estimate of how much is being financed with PFCs by airport size.
However, using 30 percent as a gauge, the total amount of funds
available to airports may be overstated by as much as $660 million (30
percent of $2.2 billion in average annual PFC collections).
Table 1: Sources of Airport Funding, 2001-2005:
2006 dollars in billions.
Funding source: Airport bonds;
2001-2005 average annual funding: $6.5[A];
Percentage of total: 50;
Source of funds: State and local governments or airport authorities
issue tax-exempt debt.
Funding source: AIP grants;
2001-2005 average annual funding: 3.6[B];
Percentage of total: 29;
Source of funds: Congress makes funds available from the Airport and
Airway Trust Fund, which receives revenue from various aviation-related
taxes.
Funding source: Passenger facility charges;
2001-2005 average annual funding: 2.2[C];
Percentage of total: 17;
Source of funds: Funds come from passenger fees of up to $4.50 per trip
segment at commercial airports.
Funding source: State and local contributions;
2001-2005 average annual funding: 0.7;
Percentage of total: 4;
Source of funds: Funds include state and local grants, loans, and
matching funds for AIP grants.
Total;
2001-2005 average annual funding: $13;
Percentage of total: 100;
Source of funds: [Empty].
Source: GAO analysis of FAA, Thomson Financial, and state grant data.
Note: Totals may not add because of rounding.
[A] Net of refinancing.
[B] AIP totaled on a fiscal year basis.
[C] As much as $660 million (30 percent of total) of which is used to
support bond financing.
[End of table]
The amount and source of funding vary with the size of airports. The
nation's 67 larger airports, which handled almost 90 percent of the
passenger traffic in 2005, accounted for 72 percent of all funding
($9.4 billion annually), while the 3,297 other smaller commercial and
general aviation airports that make up the rest of the national airport
system accounted for the other 28 percent ($3.5 billion
annually).[Footnote 7] As shown in figure 2, airports' reliance on
federal grants is inversely related to their size---federal grants
contributed a little over $1.3 billion annually to larger airports (14
percent of their total funding) and $2.3 billion annually to smaller
airports (64 percent of their total funding).
Figure 2: Funding Sources by Size of Airport, 2001-2005:
[See PDF for image]
Sources: GAO analysis of FAA, ACI, Thomson Financial, and state grant
data.
Note: Totals may not add up due to rounding.
[End of figure]
Total Planned Development Exceeds Past Funding Levels by At Least $1
Billion Annually:
Total planned development of at least $14 billion annually exceeds past
funding levels of $13 billion. If the $13 billion annual average
funding continues over the next 5 years and were applied only to AIP-
eligible projects, it would cover all of the $8.2 billion for projects
in FAA's estimate. However, much of the funding available to airports
is for AIP-ineligible projects. We could not determine how much of this
financing is directed to AIP-eligible versus ineligible projects.
Figure 3 compares the $13 billion average annual funding airports
received from 2001 through 2005 (adjusted for inflation to 2006
dollars) with the $14 billion (also in 2006 dollars) in annual planned
development costs for 2007 through 2011.[Footnote 8] As noted earlier,
the $14 billion is the sum of FAA's estimated AIP-eligible costs of
$8.2 billion annually and ACI's estimated AIP-ineligible costs of $5.8
billion annually. The overall difference of at least $1 billion
annually is not an absolute predictor of future funding differences;
both funding and planned development may change in the future.
Figure 3: Comparison of Past Airport Funding to Future Development
Costs:
[See PDF for image]
Sources: GAO analysis of FAA, ACI, Thomson Financial, and state grant
data.
Note: Totals may not add up due to rounding.
[End of figure]
The difference between past funding and future planned development may
be greater than $1 billion for several reasons, but how much greater
the difference will be hard to quantify for two reasons. First, past
funding may be overstated because some past PFC collections may be
double counted if they are used to finance bond proceeds, which could
average as much as $660 million annually. Second, FAA's estimate of
planned development may be understated because it excludes some
projects that have identified funding sources. FAA could not estimate
how much in project costs may have been withdrawn from its planning
database. The narrowing between past funding and planned development
costs to about $1 billion is an indicator of the improving financial
health of the nation's airports.
Larger Airports--Planned Development Costs Exceed Past Funding by At
Least $600 Million:
The difference between past funding and planned development costs for
larger airports is at least $600 million if both AIP-eligible and
ineligible projects are considered.[Footnote 9] From 2001 through 2005,
larger airports collected an average of about $9.4 billion a year for
capital development, as compared to their estimate of at least $10
billion in future annual planned development costs. Figure 4 shows the
comparison of average annual funding versus planned development costs
for larger airports. At $5.7 billion annually, the portion of costs not
eligible for AIP is 57 percent of the total planned development costs.
Figure 4: Comparison of Larger Airports' Past Funding to Future
Development Costs:
[See PDF for image]
Sources: GAO analysis of FAA, ACI, Thomson Financial, and state grant
data.
Note: Totals may not add up due to rounding.
[End of figure]
Smaller Airports --Planned Development Costs Exceed Past Funding by At
Least $400 Million:
The difference between past funding and planned development costs for
smaller airports is at least $400 million annually.[Footnote 10] At
smaller airports, average annual funding from 2001 through 2005 was
about $3.6 billion a year. Annual planned development costs for smaller
airports from 2007 through 2011 are estimated to be at least $4
billion. Figure 5 compares average annual funding to planned
development costs for smaller airports. As the figure shows, the
portion of smaller airports' project costs not eligible for AIP funding
is relatively small--about $75 million annually, or about 2 percent of
total planned development costs.
Figure 5: Comparison of Smaller Airports' Past Funding to Future
Development Costs:
[See PDF for image]
Sources: GAO analysis of FAA, ACI, Thomson Financial, and state grant
data.
Note: Totals may not add up due to rounding.
[End of figure]
Size of the Difference between Past Funding and Planned Development May
Have Declined since 1996:
The difference between past funding and planned development appears to
have narrowed from our past estimates. As shown in figure 6, in 1996 we
reported that planned development exceeded past funding by $3.7
billion, based on estimated funding of $8.7 billion and planned
development of $12.4 billion. In 2001, we reported that the difference
was $3.6 billion annually based on funding levels of $13.4 billion and
planned development of $17 billion. The more recent difference of $1
billion would represent a significant narrowing in the difference
between past funding and future development costs would indicate that
airports' improving financial health was improving.
Figure 6: Comparison of Airports' Past Annual Funding to Future
Development Costs:
[See PDF for image]
Source: GAO analysis of FAA data.
[End of figure]
Financial Health of Airports Has Improved, Particularly for Larger
Airports:
The financial health of airports is strong and has generally improved
since September 11, 2001, especially for larger airports. Passenger
traffic has rebounded to 2000 levels and bond ratings have improved.
Following September 11, many airports cut back on their costs and
deferred capital projects. However, credit rating agencies and
financial experts now agree that larger airports are generally
financially strong and have ready access to capital markets. A good
indicator of airports' financial strength is the number and scale of
underlying bond ratings provided by bond-rating agencies. More bonds
were rated in 2007 than in 2002, and more bonds are rated at the higher
end of the rating scale in 2007, meaning that the rating agencies
consider them less of a risk today. Furthermore, larger airports tended
to have higher ratings than smaller airports.
Administration's FAA Reauthorization Proposal Would Increase Potential
Funding for Larger Airports, while Funding for Smaller Airports Could
Be Reduced:
The Administration's reauthorization proposal for AIP would increase
potential funding for larger airports, but funding for smaller airports
could be reduced because of the overall reduction in AIP. The 2008
fiscal year budget reduces AIP funding from its past level of $3.5
billion in fiscal years 2006 and 2007 to $2.75 billion. The proposal
also would phase out entitlement (otherwise known as apportionment)
grants for larger airports while increasing the PFC ceiling from $4.50
to $6 per passenger.[Footnote 11] While larger airports that account
for 90 percent of all passengers will benefit from an increase in the
PFC ceiling, this increase in PFCs will not compensate smaller airports
for the overall reduction in AIP funding. As a separate issue, the
Administration's reauthorization proposal would change the way that AIP
and other FAA programs are funded and may not provide enough new tax
revenue for anticipated AIP spending even at the reduced levels
proposed by the Administration.
Administration's FAA Reauthorization Proposal Would Make Fundamental
Changes in AIP:
The Administration's 2008 FAA reauthorization proposal would reduce AIP
and change how AIP is allocated, and increase the PFC available to
commercial airports. (Key changes in the proposal's many elements are
outlined in app. II.) Unlike previous reauthorization proposals, which
made relatively modest changes in the structure of the AIP program,
this proposal contains some fundamental changes in the funding and
structure of the AIP program. Notably, following the pattern set by the
2000 FAA reauthorization,[Footnote 12] which required larger airports
to return a larger percentage of their entitlement funding in exchange
for an increase in the PFC, the Administration proposes eliminating
entitlement grants for larger airports altogether and at the same time
allowing those airports to charge higher PFCs.
The reauthorization proposal would eliminate some set-aside programs
and increase the proportion of discretionary grant funds available to
FAA at higher AIP funding levels.[Footnote 13] Table 2 compares AIP
funding allocations under the current funding formulas to the proposed
reauthorization allocations at both the current $3.5 billion level and
at the Administration's proposed $2.75 billion level. To make more
discretionary funding available, this proposal would also remove the
funding trigger in current law that doubles the amount of entitlement
funds airports receive if the overall AIP funding level is above $3.2
billion. According to FAA officials, their objective is to increase the
amount of discretionary funding for airports so that higher-priority
projects can be funded. However, that objective is achieved only when
total AIP funds are greater than the $2.75 billion budgeted by the
Administration. For example, at $2.75 billion in AIP, the current law
would generate $967 million in discretionary grants versus $866 million
under the proposed reauthorization. This relationship reverses at $3.5
billion in AIP funding, for which the proposal generates $1.328 billion
in discretionary grants versus $845 million under current law.
Table 2: Estimated Distribution of AIP Funds at $2.75 Billion and $3.5
Billion Funding Levels under Current and Proposed Authorization
Formulas:
Dollars in millions.
AIP funding (after administrative and other costs);
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: $2,636;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: $2,636;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: $3,386;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: $3,386.
Entitlements: Primary airports: Large;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 92;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 81;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 184;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 92.
Entitlements: Primary airports: Medium;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 56;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 49;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 111;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 56.
Entitlements: Primary airports: Small;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 131;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 230;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 262;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 262.
Entitlements: Primary airports: Nonhub;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 154;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 269;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 307;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 307.
Subtotal primary airports;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 433;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 629;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 864;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 717.
Cargo;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 92;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 81;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 118;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 118.
Alaska supplemental;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 11;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 19;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 21;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 21.
Nonprimary entitlements;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 0;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 309;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 385;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 431.
State apportionment;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 488;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 300;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 292;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 339.
Carryover entitlements;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 432;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 432;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 432;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 432.
Subtotal entitlements;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 1,455;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 1,769;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 2,113;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 2,058.
Small airport fund: Nonhub commercial service;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 123;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: [Empty];
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 245;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: [Empty].
Small airport fund: Nonprimary airports;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 61;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: [Empty];
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 122;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: [Empty].
Small airport fund: Small hub;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 31;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: [Empty];
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 61;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: [Empty].
Subtotal entitlements and nondiscretionary;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 1,669;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 1,769;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 2,541;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 2,058.
Discretionary: Noise set-aside;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 338;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 211;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 296;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 271.
Discretionary: Reliever set-aside;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 0;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: [Empty];
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 6;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: [Empty].
Discretionary: Military Airports (MAP) set-aside;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 39;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: [Empty];
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 34;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: [Empty].
Subtotal discretionary set-asides;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 377;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 211;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 336;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 271.
Discretionary: Small airport discretionary fund;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: [Empty];
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 136;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: [Empty];
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 266.
Discretionary: Capacity, safety, security, noise;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 442;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 389;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 382;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 594.
Discretionary: Remaining discretionary;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 147;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 130;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 127;
IP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 198.
Subtotal discretionary;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 967;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 866;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: 845;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: 1,328.
Total AIP available for grants;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: $2,636;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: $2,636;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Current law: $3,386;
AIP allocations under current law compared to proposed reauthorization:
Fiscal year 2008, as proposed: $3,386.
Source: FAA.
[End of table]
For smaller airports, the proposal's effect depends on whether AIP
funding is reduced to $2.75 billion, as the Administration proposes, or
left at the current level of $3.5 billion. At a funding level of $2.75
billion, the proposal would reduce entitlements and other funding
dedicated to small airports by $436 million. (see table 3). At a
funding level of $3.5 billion in AIP funding, smaller airports would
lose $75 million in entitlements and other dedicated funds under FAA's
proposal, but discretionary funds would increase by $282 million,
making it less certain how smaller airports would fare overall.
Table 3: Effect of Proposed Authorization Formula on Smaller Airports:
Dollars in millions.
Funding categories: Entitlements;
Current law at $1,680;
Proposed law at $1,244;
Difference from current: -436;
Proposed law at $1,605;
Difference from current: -75.
Funding categories: Discretionary;
Current law at 510;
Proposed law at 519;
Difference from current: +9;
Proposed law at 792;
Difference from current: +282.
Source: GAO analysis of FAA data.
[End of table]
Increasing the PFC Would More than Offset Loss of AIP Entitlements for
Larger Airports but Might Not Compensate Smaller Airports for Loss of
AIP:
The Administration's proposed reauthorization would allow airports to
increase their PFC to a maximum of $6 and allow airports to use their
PFC collections for any airport projects while forgoing their
entitlement funds. A $6 PFC could generate an additional $1.1 billion
for larger airports, exceeding the $247 million in entitlements that
FAA estimates they would forgo under this reauthorization proposal (see
table 4).[Footnote 14] However, smaller airports (small and nonhub)
would not benefit as much from this ability to increase PFCs because
they collect less in PFCs and are more reliant on AIP for
funding.[Footnote 15] A change to a $6 PFC could yield as much as an
additional $171 million for smaller airports if they all imposed a $6
PFC. On a net basis, this relatively small increase in PFCs would not
compensate smaller airports for the $436 million reduction in AIP at a
$2.75 billion funding level.
Table 4: Projected PFC Collections with a $6 PFC:
Airport size: Large hub;
2007 PFC collections (estimated): $1,869;
If all primary airports had a $6 PFC[A]: $2,696;
Increase over 2007 collections: $827.
Airport size: Medium hub;
2007 PFC collections (estimated): 486;
If all primary airports had a $6 PFC[A]: 782;
Increase over 2007 collections: 295.
Airport size: Subtotal;
2007 PFC collections (estimated): 2,356;
If all primary airports had a $6 PFC[A]: 3,479;
Increase over 2007 collections: 1,123.
Airport size: Small hub;
2007 PFC collections (estimated): 184;
If all primary airports had a $6 PFC[A]: 303;
Increase over 2007 collections: 119.
Airport size: Non hub;
2007 PFC collections (estimated): 71;
If all primary airports had a $6 PFC[A]: 123;
Increase over 2007 collections: 2.
Airport size: Subtotal;
2007 PFC collections (estimated): 255;
If all primary airports had a $6 PFC[A]: 426;
Increase over 2007 collections: 171.
Airport size: Total;
2007 PFC collections (estimated): $2,611;
If all primary airports had a $6 PFC[A]: $3,905;
Increase over 2007 collections: $1,294.
Source: GAO analysis of FAA data.
[A] There are currently 382 primary airports eligible to apply for a
PFC.
[End of table]
The reauthorization proposal would also relax project eligibility
criteria to allow airports to use their collections in the same way as
they use internally generated revenue, including off-airport intermodal
transportation projects. The application and review process would also
be streamlined. As a result, FAA would no longer approve collections
but would rather ensure compliance with PFC and airport revenue rules.
Air carriers and other interested parties would retain the right to
object to new projects proposed for PFC funding and request FAA's
review.
Uncertain Whether Proposed Fuel Tax Rates Would Yield the Revenue
Anticipated to Fund AIP:
In addition to concerns about the level and allocation of AIP funds,
another concern is whether or not the fuel tax revenues that the
Administration's reauthorization proposal has designated to largely
fund AIP after 2009 would be as great as anticipated. Currently, AIP
and other FAA programs are principally funded by the Airport and Airway
Trust Fund (trust fund), which receives revenue from passenger ticket
taxes and segment taxes, airline and general aviation fuel taxes, and
other taxes. The Administration's reauthorization proposal would fund
air traffic control through user fees for commercial aircraft and fuel
taxes for general aviation while limiting the sources of revenue for
the trust fund and its uses. Under the proposal, beginning in 2009, the
trust fund would continue but only to fund three programs--AIP;
Research, Engineering and Development (RE&D); and Essential Air Service
(EAS)--and would be funded solely by an equal fuel tax on commercial
and general aviation fuel purchases and an international arrival and
departure tax (see table 5).
Table 5: Projected Airport and Airway Trust Fund in 2009 under the
Reauthorization Proposal:
Revenue source: Commercial fuel;
Proposed tax rate: $0.136;
Forecast 2009 consumption (millions of gallons or passengers): 14,531;
Forecast 2009 trust fund receipts (in millions of dollars): $1,976;
Trust fund expenditure: AIP;
Forecast 2009 trust fund expenditures (in millions of dollars): $2,900.
Revenue source: General aviation jet fuel;
Proposed tax rate: 0.136;
Forecast 2009 consumption (millions of gallons or passengers): 1,711;
Forecast 2009 trust fund receipts (in millions of dollars): 232;
Trust fund expenditure: Research, Engineering and Development;
Forecast 2009 trust fund expenditures (in millions of dollars): 140.
Revenue source: General aviation gas;
Proposed tax rate: 0.136;
Forecast 2009 consumption (millions of gallons or passengers): 280;
Forecast 2009 trust fund receipts (in millions of dollars): 38;
Trust fund expenditure: Essential Air Service;
Forecast 2009 trust fund expenditures (in millions of dollars): 50.
Revenue source: International head tax; Proposed tax rate: 6.39[A];
Forecast 2009 consumption (millions of gallons or passengers): 158;
Forecast 2009 trust fund receipts (in millions of dollars): 1,009;
Trust fund expenditure: [Empty];
Forecast 2009 trust fund expenditures (in millions of dollars):
[Empty].
Total;
Proposed tax rate: [Empty];
Forecast 2009 consumption (millions of gallons or passengers): [Empty];
Forecast 2009 trust fund receipts (in millions of dollars): $ 3,255;
Trust fund expenditure: [Empty];
Forecast 2009 trust fund expenditures (in millions of dollars): $3,090.
Source: GAO analysis of FAA data.
[A] Per arriving and departing passenger.
[End of table]
FAA officials confirmed for us that in estimating fuel tax revenues
they did not take into account possible reductions in fuel purchases
due to the increase in the tax rates. Although we do not know by how
much, such purchases would decline, conventional economic reasoning,
supported by the opinions of industry stakeholders, suggests that some
decline might take place. Therefore, the tax rate should be set taking
into consideration effects on use and the resulting impact on revenue.
FAA officials told us that they believe that these effects would be
small because the increased tax burden is a small share of aircraft
operating costs and therefore there was no need to take its impact into
account. Representatives of general aviation, however, have said that
the impact could be more substantial. If consumption possibly falls
short of projections or Congress appropriates more funds for AIP, RE&D,
or EAS than is currently proposed, then fuel tax rates and the
international arrival and departure tax would correspondingly have to
be increased or additional funding from another source, such as the
trust fund's uncommitted balance or the General Fund, would be needed.
Agency Comments:
We provided copies of this report to the DOT and ACI for their review
and comment. FAA's Manager for Airports Financial Assistance in the
Office of Airport Planning and Programming responded for DOT agreed
with the findings of the report and provided some clarifying and
technical comments, which we have incorporated as appropriate. In e-
mailed comments, he emphasized that any difference between past funding
and future planned development does not mean that necessary airport
projects would not be built. In FAA's view, large airports, in
particular, can obtain additional private capital to fund their capital
development. ACI also provided comments and suggested that our report
provide a range of planned development and funding amounts rather than
a single amount. In ACI's view, the full amount of their $15.6 billion
planned development estimate should be used and also suggested that we
recalculate the historical funding stream based on the effect of using
PFCs to finance capital development and preexisting claims on AIP funds
in the future. The outcome of such an approach would be to provide a
range much greater than the annual average total difference of $1
billion between past funding and planned development that we developed.
We did not adopt such an approach in this report because (1) it would
be inconsistent with the approach we took in 1998 and 2003 in
estimating airport funding and planned development and therefore make
comparisons over time more difficult, (2) we continue to believe that
FAA's estimate of planned development is better than ACI's for the AIP-
eligible portion of projects as explained in this report on page 7, and
(3) we were unable to estimate the effect of various factors, such as
PFC bonding, on the funding stream across airport types. ACI also
offered technical corrections, which we have incorporated into the
report where appropriate.
As agreed with your offices, unless you publicly announce the contents
of this report earlier, we plan on no further distribution until 30
days from the date of this letter. At that time, we will send copies of
this report to the Secretary of Transportation and the Administrator of
FAA. We will also make copies available to others upon request. In
addition, the report will be available at no charge on the GAO Web site
at http://www.gao.gov.
If you or your staff have any questions about this report, please
contact me at (202) 512-2834 or DillinghamG@gao.gov. Contact points for
our Offices of Congressional Relations and Public Affairs may be found
on the last page of this report. Staff who made key contributions to
this report are listed in appendix IV.
Signed by:
Gerald L. Dillingham, Ph.D.
Director, Physical Infrastructure Issues:
[End of section]
Appendix I: Sources of Airports' Capital Funding:
Funding for airport capital development comes from four primary
sources: federal Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants, passenger
facility charges (PFC), municipal bonds, and state and local grants.
Airports vary in their reliance on these sources of funds.
Federal Grants:
AIP grants are made available from the Airport and Airway Trust
Fund.[Footnote 16] The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) allocates
most AIP grants on the basis of (1) a legislated apportionment formula,
tied to the number of passengers an airport enplanes in the case of
primary airports, and (2) set-aside categories earmarked for specific
types of airports and projects. AIP funding is usually limited to
construction or improvements related to aircraft operations, such as
runways and taxiways. Commercial revenue-producing facilities are
generally not eligible for AIP funding, nor are operational costs.
Funds apportioned for large and medium airports remain available for
obligation during the fiscal year for which the amount was apportioned
and the 2 fiscal years immediately after that year. Funds apportioned
for small hub, nonhub, or nonprimary airports or states remain
available for obligation during the fiscal year for which the amount
was apportioned and the 3 fiscal years immediately following that year.
Apportioned funds that have been unused are protected and carry over
for the airports through the 3 or 4 year periods. As figure 7 shows,
AIP grants as measured in constant 2006 dollars have increased slightly
from $3.2 billion in 2001 to $3.3 billion in 2005.
Figure 7: AIP Grants to Airports by Category of Airport, 2001-2005:
[See PDF for image]
Source: GAO analysis of FAA data.
[End of figure]
Passenger Facility Charges:
In 1990, Congress gave commercial airports the option to impose a PFC
as an additional means to raise funds for development. Beginning in
1992, authorized airports were able to collect up to $3 per enplaned
passenger to use for projects that are eligible for AIP and for certain
other types of costs that are not, such as debt financing costs. The
PFC program sets forth several broad objectives for the use of these
funds in furthering airport development, including (1) preserving or
enhancing airports' safety, security, or capacity; (2) reducing noise;
or (3) enhancing airline competition. Airports must apply to FAA for
approval of both the collection of the fees and the specific projects
that the money will pay for. FAA officials note that as long as a
project is eligible, meets a program objective, and is adequately
justified, they do not have the authority to reject an airport's
proposal for the collection or use of PFC funds. Eligible projects
under the AIP are also eligible for PFC funding. At the same time
airports must consult with airlines when considering participation in
the PFC program and the selection of projects to be funded, although
airports do not need airlines' agreement on the use of PFCs or on
project selection. Once FAA has approved the collection of PFCs by an
airport, the airlines are required by the statute to collect the fees
from passengers and transmit the funds to the airport. Going forward,
airlines have the responsibility under the statute for collecting the
fee, and must submit copies to FAA of quarterly reports on the
collection and distribution of PFCs to the airports on whose behalf the
carriers collect the PFC.
Each project in an application must qualify under various criteria
including (1) airport development or airport planning eligible under
subchapter I of 49 U.S.C. chapter 471; (2) terminal development as
described in 49 U.S.C. 47110(d); (3) airport noise compatibility
planning as described in 49 U.S.C. 47505; (4) noise compatibility
measures eligible for federal assistance under 49 U.S.C. 47504, without
regard to whether the measures have been approved under §47504, (as
implemented by 14 CFR Part 150); (5) construction of gates and related
areas at which passengers are enplaned or deplaned and other areas
directly related to the movement of passengers and baggage in air
commerce within the boundaries of the airport (these areas do not
include restaurants, car rental facilities, automobile parking
facilities, or other concession space); or (6) the Air Traffic
Modernization Cost Sharing program. In addition to the eligibility
project types listed above, debt service and financing costs associated
with projects meeting the above criteria are also eligible.
Figure 8 shows PFC collections by category; large hub airports
accounted for over two-thirds of all PFC collections during 2001
through 2005, while medium hub airports accounted for another 19
percent of total collections.
Figure 8: Passenger Facility Charges by Airport Category, 2001-2005:
[See PDF for image]
Source: GAO analysis of FAA data.
[End of figure]
Vision 100 included a provision intended to streamline the PFC
application process for nonhub airports. The pilot program requires
airport sponsors to submit a notice of intent to impose a PFC and for
use of PFC revenue for each airport for which a PFC is to be
imposed.[Footnote 17] The Secretary of Transportation is not required
to file a Federal Register notice for public comment, but the
department must review and document its findings on eligibility,
consultation, excluded class, and overall collection amount, PFC level,
and duration. Once this review is complete, the department forwards a
letter of acknowledgment to the airport sponsor within 30 days. In
2005, 248 nonhub airports collected over $65 million in PFCs.
Airport Bonds:
The single largest category of airport funding is bonds, and large hubs
issue the most bonds. From 2001 through 2005, airports issued $32.2
billion worth of bonds, three-quarters of it going to large hub
airports. As figure 9 shows, the total amount of bonding (new finance
only) varies from year to year but declined in 2004 and 2005 from 2001
through 2003.
Figure 9: Airport Bonds Issued by Airport Category, 2001-2005:
[See PDF for image]
Source: GAO analysis of Thomson Financial data.
[End of figure]
State and Local Grants:
Nearly all states provide financial assistance to airports, primarily
in the form of grants as matching funds for AIP grants or as separate
state grants. States fund their grant programs through a variety of
sources, including aviation fuel and aircraft sales taxes, highway
taxes, bonds, and general fund appropriations. State funding data have
been aggregated periodically by the National Association of State
Aviation Officials (NASAO), which began its current annual reporting of
state data in 1996. States provided about $3.8 billion to national
system airports in the states' fiscal years 2001 through 2005. Figure
10 shows the distribution of those grants by airport category.
Figure 10: State Grants to Airports by Category of Airport, 2001-2005:
[See PDF for image]
Source: GAO analysis of state grant data.
[End of figure]
[End of section]
Appendix II: Key Changes Proposed in AIP By The Administration:
Table 6: Comparison of Current AIP authorization and Proposed
Reauthorization:
Feature: Funding;
Current authorization for AIP: Trust fund for all capital programs is
funded by an airline ticket tax, segment tax, international departure
and arrival taxes, varying rates of fuel taxes, and other taxes.
Funding for AIP is appropriated from the trust fund;
Administration's Proposed AIP reauthorization: Trust fund is funded by
fuel tax of 13.6 cents/gallon for commercial and general aviation and a
reduced international arrival and departure tax. Funding for AIP is
appropriated from the trust fund. If AIP is increased, the tax rates
would have to be increased, the trust fund's uncommitted balance would
have to be drawn down, or another funding source would have to found.
Feature: Entitlements;
Current authorization for AIP: Up to 75 percent of entitlements for
large and medium hub airports collecting a PFC are turned back to the
small airport fund;
Administration's Proposed AIP reauthorization: Entitlements for large
and medium hub airports eliminated, by 2010.
Feature: Entitlements;
Current authorization for AIP: If AIP is greater than $3.2 billion,
primary airport entitlements are doubled;
Administration's Proposed AIP reauthorization: The $3.2 billion trigger
for doubling entitlements is eliminated except for small and nonhub
primary airports.
Feature: Entitlements;
Current authorization for AIP: State apportionment is 20 percent of AIP
(18.5 percent if AIP is less than $3.2 billion);
Administration's Proposed AIP reauthorization: State apportionment set
at greater of 10 percent of AIP or $300 million.
Feature: Entitlements;
Current authorization for AIP: Nonprimary airport entitlement of up to
$150,000;
Administration's Proposed AIP reauthorization: The nonprimary airport
minimum entitlement of $150,000 per airport is eliminated and replaced
by a tiered system of entitlements ranging from $400,000 for large
general aviation airports to $100,000 for smaller general aviation
airports. The 750 airports that have less than 10 operational and
registered based aircraft are guaranteed nothing but remain eligible
for discretionary and state apportionment.
Feature: Discretionary;
Current authorization for AIP: Reliever and military airport set-asides
minimum discretionary funding set at $148 million;
Administration's Proposed AIP reauthorization: The set-aside for
reliever and military airports is eliminated.
Feature: Discretionary;
Current authorization for AIP: Most types of airfield projects,
excluding interest costs, nonrevenue producing terminal space, and on-
airport access project costs. General aviation airports may use their
entitlement funds for some revenue- producing activities (e.g.,
hangars).: Small airport fund funded by large and medium hub airport
PFC turnbacks of up to 75 percent of PFC collections;
Administration's Proposed AIP reauthorization: Most types of airfield
projects, excluding interest costs, nonrevenue producing terminal
space, and on- airport access project costs. General aviation airports
may use their entitlement funds for some revenue-producing activities
(e.g., hangars).: Minimum discretionary funding set at $520 million.
Feature: Discretionary;
Current authorization for AIP: Most types of airfield projects,
excluding interest costs, nonrevenue producing terminal space, and on-
airport access project costs. General aviation airports may use their
entitlement funds for some revenue- producing activities (e.g.,
hangars).: Small airport fund funded by large and medium hub airport
PFC turnbacks of up to 75 percent of PFC collections;
Administration's Proposed AIP reauthorization: Small airport fund equal
to 20 percent of discretionary funds.
Feature: Project eligibility;
Current authorization for AIP: Most types of airfield projects,
excluding interest costs, nonrevenue producing terminal space, and on-
airport access project costs. General aviation airports may use their
entitlement funds for some revenue-producing activities (e.g.,
hangars);
Administration's Proposed AIP reauthorization: Expanded to include
additional revenue-producing aeronautical support facilities (e.g.,
self-service fuel pumps) at general aviation airports.
Feature: Local government share of project cost (local match);
Current authorization for AIP: Government share set at 95 percent for
smaller airports through 2007, and 75 percent for large and medium hub
airports (noise 80 percent);
Administration's Proposed AIP reauthorization: The 95 percent
government share reverts to 90 percent as scheduled under Vision 100
except for the very smallest airports. Now maximum share will be a
flexible amount with a maximum percentage of 90 percent. Airfield
rehabilitation projects lowered to 50 percent maximum at large and
medium hubs.
Feature: PFCs;
Current authorization for AIP: Maximum rate is $4.50 per passenger;
Administration's Proposed AIP reauthorization: Maximum rate is $6 per
passenger.
Feature: PFCs;
Current authorization for AIP: All applications subject to FAA review;
Administration's Proposed AIP reauthorization: Review and approval are
streamlined.
Feature: PFCs;
Current authorization for AIP: Up to 5 airports, one of each size, with
strict limit on rates and charges and requires approval by 65 percent
of airlines.: PFCs can be used for all AIP-eligible projects, but also
interest costs on airport bonds, terminal gates, and related areas, and
noise mitigation can also be used;
Administration's Proposed AIP reauthorization: Up to 5 airports, one of
each size, with strict limit on rates and charges and requires approval
by 65 percent of airlines.: Eligibility expanded to include almost any
airport- related project, including off-airport intermodal projects.
Feature: PFCs;
Current authorization for AIP: Up to 5 airports, one of each size, with
strict limit on rates and charges and requires approval by 65 percent
of airlines.: PFCs can be used for all AIP-eligible projects, but also
interest costs on airport bonds, terminal gates, and related areas, and
noise mitigation can also be used;
Administration's Proposed AIP reauthorization: Up to 10 large and
medium hub airports willing to assume the cost of air navigation
facilities are allowed a $7 PFC.
Feature: Privatization;
Current authorization for AIP: Up to 5 airports, one of each size, with
strict limit on rates and charges and requires approval by 65 percent
of airlines;
Administration's Proposed AIP reauthorization: Up to 15 airports of any
size, no limit on rates and charges and no airline veto, but subject to
Department of Transportation review and approval.
Source: GAO.
[End of table]
[End of section]
Appendix III: Scope and Methodology:
To determine how much planned development would cost over the next 5
years, we obtained planned development data from the Federal Aviation
Administration and Airports Council International-North America. To
determine how much airports of various sizes are spending on capital
development and from which sources, we sought data on airports' capital
funding because comprehensive airport spending data are limited and
because, over time, funding and spending should roughly equate. We
obtained capital funding data from FAA, ACI, the National Association
of State Aviation Officials, and Thomson Financial--a firm that tracks
all municipal bonds. We screened each of these databases for their
accuracy to ensure that airports were correctly classified and compared
funding streams across databases where possible. We did not, however,
audit how the databases had been compiled or test their overall
accuracy, except in the case of state grant data from NASAO and some of
the Thomson Financial bond data, which we independently confirmed. We
determined the data to be sufficiently reliable for our purposes. We
subtotaled each funding stream by year and airport category and added
other funding streams to determine the total funding. We met with FAA,
bond-rating agencies, bond underwriters, airport financial consultants,
and airport and airline industry associations and discussed the data
and our conclusions to verify their reasonableness and accuracy.
To determine whether current funding is sufficient to meet planned
development for the 5-year period from 2007 through 2011 for each
airport category and overall, we compared total funding to planned
development. We correlated each funding stream to each airport's size,
as measured by activity, and among other funding streams to better
understand airports' varying reliance on them and the relationships
among sources of finance. We then discussed our findings with FAA, bond
rating agencies, bond underwriters, airport financial consultants, and
airport and airline industry associations to determine how our findings
compared with their knowledge and experiences.
To determine some of the potential effects from changes to how airport
development is funded under the Administration's proposed FAA
reauthorization legislation, we first analyzed the proposed changes to
the Airport Improvement Program's funding and allocation. In particular
we analyzed the effect of various funding levels on how the program
funds would be allocated. Second, we evaluated the effects of raising
the passenger facility charge ceiling, as the Administration proposed,
by estimating the potential PFC collections under a $6 PFC on the basis
of 2005 enplanements and collection rates, assuming all airports
imposed a $6 PFC. Third, we determined the status of FAA's pilot
program for airport privatization. Moreover, we discussed the impact of
all of the proposed changes (funding/allocation, $6 PFC, and
privatization) with FAA, bond-rating agencies, bond underwriters,
airport financial consultants, and airport and airline industry
associations.
[End of section]
Appendix IV: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments:
GAO Contact:
Dr. Gerald Dillingham at (202) 512-4803 or DillinghamG@gao.gov:
Staff Acknowledgments:
For further information on this report, please contact. Individuals
making key contributions to this report were Paul Aussendorf, Jay
Cherlow, Jessica Evans, David Hooper, Nick Nadarski, Edward Laughlin,
Minette Richardson, and Stan Stenersen.
[End of section]
Related GAO Products:
Airport Finance: Preliminary Analysis Indicates Proposed Changes in the
Airport Improvement Program May Not Resolve Funding Needs for Smaller
Airports. GAO-07-617T. Washington, D.C.: March 28, 2007.
Airport Finance: Past Funding Levels May Not Be Sufficient to Cover
Airports' Planned Capital Development. GAO-03-497T. Washington, D.C.:
February 25, 2003.
Airport Financing: Annual Funding as Much as $3 Billion Less Than
Planned Development. GAO/T-RCED-99-84. Washington, D.C.: February 10,
1999.
Passenger Facility Charges: Program Implementation and the Potential
Effects of Proposed Changes, GAO/RCED-99-138. Washington, D.C.: May 19,
1999.
Airport Financing: Funding Sources for Airport Development. GAO/RCED-
98-71. Washington, D.C.: March 12, 1998.
FOOTNOTES
[1] The PFC Program allows the collection of PFC fees up to $4.50 for
every enplaned passenger at commercial airports controlled by public
agencies. Airports use these fees to fund FAA-approved projects that
enhance safety, security, or capacity; reduce noise; or increase air
carrier competition.
[2] In 2003 and 1998, GAO reported on airport financing. See GAO
Airport Finance: Past Funding Levels May Not Be Sufficient to Meet
Airports' Planned Capital Development, (Washington, D.C.: Feb. 25,
2003) and Airport Financing: Funding Sources for Airport Development,
(Washington, D.C.: Mar. 12, 1998).
[3] We will follow conventions established in GAO's prior report on
airport finance in differentiating between larger (large and medium hub
airports) and smaller (all other categories of commercial and general
aviation airports). See GAO Airport Finance: Past Funding Levels May
Not Be Sufficient to Meet Airports' Planned Capital Development, GAO-03-
497T (Washington D.C.: Feb. 25, 2003).
[4] GAO-03-497T and Airport Financing: Annual Funding as Much as $3
Billion Less than Planned Development, GAO/T-RCED-99-84 (Washington,
D.C.: Feb. 10, 1999).
[5] FAA estimate of $41 billion and ACI estimate of $78 billion do not
consider cost increases such as rising construction costs. Going
forward, these costs may increase, especially construction costs, which
have jumped 26 percent in 30 major U.S. cities over the past 3 years.
FAA acknowledges that development estimates may or may not include
increases in costs based on construction uncertainty and that annual
cost increases are not captured.
[6] ACI estimated total planned development costs of $87 billion (in
nominal dollars) for the 5-year period. ACI's total is $78 billion, or
$15.6 billion (expressed in 2006 dollars), annually--split between $9.8
billion of AIP-eligible costs and $5.8 billion of ineligible costs.
[7] As noted above, the total amount of funds may be somewhat
overstated because as much as 30 percent ($660 million) of PFCs may be
used to finance bond issues. This would particularly affect the total
for larger airports, which collect most of the PFCs.
[8] If the full measure of ACI's $15.6 billion estimate of planned
development is used, the difference increases to $2.6 billion annually.
[9] PFC collections, as part of total funding, may be double counted if
they are used to finance bond proceeds.
[10] PFC collections as part of total funding may be double counted if
they are used to finance bond proceeds.
[11] AIP grants generally consist of two types--(1) entitlement funds
that are apportioned to airports or states by formula each year based
on the number of airport passengers or state population and (2)
discretionary funds that FAA approves based on a project's priority.
[12] The Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the
21st Century, Pub. L. No. 106-81 (Apr. 5, 2000).
[13] Set-aside programs are designed with a specific purpose, e.g.,
Military Airport Program (MAP) award grants to current or former
military airfields to assist in converting them to civil use and to
reduce congestion at existing airports experiencing significant delays.
[14] This calculation assumes that the increased PFC would not affect
passenger demand for air travel. GAO has previously calculated that a
PFC increase could reduce passenger demand, which would reduce the PFC
revenue collected at the higher rate. Our previous work suggests the
revenue reduction due to demand effects would likely be small. See GAO,
Passenger Facility Charges: Program Implementation and the Potential
Effects of Proposed Changes, GAO/RCED-99-138 (Washington, D.C.: May 19,
1999).
[15] General aviation airports are excluded since they do not have
passengers that would pay a PFC.
[16] The trust fund is financed by taxes on domestic and international
airline travel, domestic cargo transported by air, or mail transported
by air, and various fuel taxes. (In addition to noncommercial aviation
fuel, there are also taxes on commercial aviation fuel, general
aviation (GA) gasoline and GA jet fuel.)
[17] Certain types of projects are not eligible to be included in
notices of intent, including debt service and complex ground access
projects.
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