Alphabet Groups Issue FBO Pricing Declaration

Six general aviation organizations—NATA, AOPA, GAMA, HAI, EAA, and NBAA—today called for better pricing transparency in communications between FBOs and aircraft operators. Over the past two years, AOPA has been asserting that FBO pricing is often unfair.

The “Know Before You Go” list of recommended best practices states that service providers should post their current retail charges and fees online in a clear, user-friendly manner so that “a pilot operating a general aviation or corporate-configured aircraft type in routine personal or business use can make an informed decision.” The declaration stated that while fuel prices for locations are currently readily available through multiple websites, it is not common practice to post other potential fees that pilots might incur.

As part of the best-practices doctrine, FBOs are urged to invite and encourage customers to contact them before use to ask questions, aiding customers in their effort to evaluate options and make informed decisions. The associations added that FBOs should move “expeditiously to implement these practices.”

Last week, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) announced it is investigating the FAA’s oversight of FBOs to ascertain if they are conducting their businesses in accordance with or in violation of federal requirements. Airports that receive Airport Improvement Program funds must meet grant assurances, including that airports and businesses on them charge only “fair, reasonable, and nondiscriminatory fees and prices.”