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Tompkins committee signs off on airport grant paperwork and hears ‘Airport Financials 101’
Summary
The committee approved a budget amendment to record a Small Community Air Service Development Grant and heard a detailed briefing on airport revenue streams, the cost‑per‑enplanement metric and efforts to restore pre‑pandemic service levels.
The Tompkins County Facilities & Infrastructure Committee on March 19 approved a budget amendment to set up county budget lines for a Small Community Air Service Development Grant and received an extended briefing on the airport’s finances.
Roxanne Noble, who led the airport briefing, told the committee the county has already accepted the grant and the resolution before the committee (ID 13946) simply establishes the revenue and appropriation lines so finance can process invoices. Committee members debated wording in the resolution about whether funds "were used" or "are expected to be used," and Legislator Judith Hubard offered a friendly amendment to clarify the language; the amendment was seconded by Dan Wakeakeman and the measure carried.
Noble outlined the airport’s four cost centers — airfield, terminal, ground transportation and other leased areas — and described principal revenue streams: airline rental and landing fees, non‑airline commercial contracts (rental cars, parking and concessions), Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs) and grants such as the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP). She explained landing fees are based on an aircraft’s maximum certified gross landed weight and noted the airport’s 2026 landing‑fee rate of about $7.72 per 1,000 lbs. Noble also explained customer facility charges for rental cars and described how PFCs are collected on ticket sales.
On air‑service metrics, Noble said airlines frequently use cost per enplanement (CPE) — the airport’s airline revenue divided by passenger counts — but cautioned the committee that CPE alone “doesn’t have a lot of meat behind it.” She emphasized the airport is working to lower CPE and market the service to attract more flights.
Committee members pressed for operational detail. Noble said TSA staff had remained fully staffed during the federal shutdown despite not receiving pay and that the airport will run a food‑card and supply drive March 23–27 to support staff. She highlighted two community events: a terminal arts gala April 11 ("Culture Takes Flight," 4–7 p.m.) and the broader Airport Day and Preparedness Expo on Sept. 19.
The committee approved the grant budget amendment and asked staff to report back if the grant spending timeline changes; Noble said most of the grant work is expected to be completed within the year but that some carryover is possible.
