Forsyth County Commissioner and Piedmont Triad International Airport authority member Gloria Whisenhunt was the lone no vote as the authority approved a request to the FAA for permission to implement a $4.50 “passenger facility charge.”
Whisenhunt’s vote “resulted in a rare occurrence – a board vote that wasn’t unanimous.” Whisenhunt’s reasoning that the airport should wait until the economy around illustrates the position we find ourselves in this coming year. I realize Whisenhunt cited a company whose employees fly regularly out of PTI as the reason for her ‘no’ vote, as the PFC could cost said company tens of thousands of dollars per year.
But without the PFC, landing fees will go up for airlines, and you have to wonder when the economy is going to improve for them as fuel prices continue to rise. I’m not defending the PFC, I’m just saying that’s the way things are these days, and it’s not pretty.
With that in mind, all we got from President Obama last night was one snuzz of a speech.
