Could your airline ticket cost more?

Published: Updated:

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. – The Punta Gorda Airport is on track to generate more than $5 million in airline revenue for 2015, but one airport official wants to increase those profits.

“People that have talked of adding a fee, that means charging more that means adding a tax,” said Pam Seay, Punta Gorda Airport Authority commissioner.

The fee, called a passenger facility fee, would add an extra $4.50 per passenger per flight. The money could generate an additional million dollars for the airport.

“For every person that flies in and out of here, we are making $10, $12, $15 on every person that comes through here based on concessions and use of this airport. Why would we want to add onto that and risk the possibility of losing it all?” said Seay.

Airport authority officials decided the chance of making more money isn’t worth the risk of losing it all.

“Right now, I don’t feel we need it. Could we need it some point in the future? That’s possible we just have to, but for right now we’re doing fine,” said Gary Quill, executive director of Punta Gorda Airport.

One commissioner who proposed the idea feels Allegiant Air should pay its fair share to utilize the airport.

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