AIR-PASSENGER FEE PROGRAM TAKES OFF

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, February 1, 1992                   TAG: 9202010168
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-12   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short
AIR-PASSENGER FEE PROGRAM TAKES OFF
Inaugurating a nationwide program, the government on Friday gave the airport at Savannah, Ga., permission to charge passenger fees and to use the money for expanding and improving facilities.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the airport expects to raise $3 million a year to finance $39.5 million in improvements, including a new passenger terminal, a new aircraft parking apron, taxiways and new entrance and service roads.
"Savannah is the first of an estimated 200 airports that are expected to use the Passenger Facility Charge program to finance improvements by the end of 1983," said Acting Transportation Secretary James Busey.
Nineteen airports have applied to the FAA for approval to charge passenger fees to finance about $2 billion in improvements, Busey said. The applicants include airports in Las Vegas, Nev.; Minneapolis; Portland, Ore.; Tulsa, Okla., and Austin, Texas.
The Roanoke Regional Airport has no plans to impose the passenger fees now, but may consider them in the future, said Jacqueline Shuck, executive director of the airport.
"It's something we may look at when we have improvements that are needed," Shuck said Friday.
The money can be used only for expanding and improving airport facilities - not for operating expenses, she said.
The Roanoke airport, which has a new terminal that was completed two years ago, doesn't have pending major projects that would be eligible for the funds.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB