FAA’s Winsome Lenfert Talks PFCs and Airport Infrastructure at GBTA Legislative Summit

Winsome Lenfert, Deputy Associate Administrator for Airports, FAA spoke about passenger facility charges (PFCs) and funding for airport infrastructure at the 15^th Annual Legislative Summit, an event that brings more than 100 travel professionals to Washington, D.C. to meet with lawmakers to share opinions on key issues.

She told attendees that she has visited hundreds of airports across the country both in her role at the FAA and as business traveler and pilot herself. “When you have seen one airport, you have seen only one airport,” she told the crowd as she explained that all airports are different in their own way.  However, the commonalities of all airports are safety, security and upholding passenger needs.

Lenfort explained how the FAA is funded and authorized by Congress to keep the airways safe.  She explained that the FAA has lived through 23 short-term extensions, but it’s current authority expires on September 30, 2017.  Ideally, Congress will pass a long-term reauthorization before that date.  She told attendees how disruptive shut downs are to the FAA.

Lenfert said the passenger facilities charges are directed at enhancing safety, security, modernization of the system and the enhancement of competition.

While discussing PFCs, she explained how the money raised from those fees go to specific airport projections with airport terminals being the main recipient of funding dollars.

She also talked about the financial savings that have come from NextGen technology. She told attendees that the projected savings to airlines and passengers in 2030 will be $160 billion creating increased efficiencies for both airlines and their passengers.