S.F. Airport to Impose Ticket Surcharge to Expand Runways
Passengers flying out of San Francisco International Airport will help pay for runway expansion.
Airport officials decided Tuesday to add a $4.50 surcharge to about 15 million tickets each year.
The money, which will amount to about $70 million a year, will be used to pay for new runways, which need to be farther apart than the current 750 feet to accommodate growth in air travel, allow new superjumbo jets to land, reduce chronic delays and lower noise in neighboring communities.
A proposed layout is expected within a few months. As much as two square miles could be paved over if the most ambitious plan is chosen.
Airport commissioners approved the fee without debate, and no one opposed it.
Under federal law, the fee can be added to the ticket prices of most domestic and international passengers departing San Francisco International. Passengers can be charged a maximum of $18 per round trip by airports.
The airport will ask the Federal Aviation Administration to approve the fee, which could be added to ticket prices as early as Oct. 1.
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