Mesa Council approves landing fees at Falcon Field after hours of public comment

Mesa — The Mesa City Council voted unanimously on March 23 to approve a resolution modifying fees and charges at Falcon Field Airport, adopting a landing‑fee structure staff says is intended to make the airportan "enterprise fund" self‑sustaining. The decision followed an extended public comment period in which pilots, flight‑school operators and area residents made competing arguments about fairness, safety and economic impact.

Supporters told council that Falcon Field has relied on one‑time land sales and deferred maintenance for years and that taxpayers should not be asked to cover ongoing runway and airfield costs. "The city cannot continue to subsidize the airport's operations," said a resident who urged the council to adopt the fees so the airport can pay for its own pavement and staffing needs.

Opponents — including flight‑school owners and instructors — warned that the proposed $20‑per‑landing charge after…