Denver-based Frontier Airlines and six other carriers filed a complaint with the federal government about higher fees at Los Angeles International Airport, saying they may cut passengers’ airline choices and increase fares.
The terminal fees, imposed Feb. 1 on carriers operating from terminals 1 and 3, are expected to cost the airlines about $56 million in the first year, compared with $20 million before the increase, the carriers said in a statement. A joint complaint was lodged with the U.S. Transportation Department.
The carriers are charged 12 times more a square foot than their competitors in other terminals, the statement said. The airlines are Southwest, AirTran Holdings Inc.’s AirTran Airways, Alaska Air Group Inc.’s Alaska Airlines, ATA Holdings Corp.’s ATA Airlines, Frontier Airlines Holdings Inc., Midwest Air Group Inc.’s Midwest Airlines and US Airways Group Inc. “We’re not opposed to increases, because increases happen when there need to be improvements to the terminal,” Southwest spokeswoman Whitney Eichinger said in a telephone interview. “It’s just making sure that they’re fair and balanced and not so high.” The airlines said the airport, which receives federal funds, is discriminating against carriers with expired terminal leases by increasing rates, while airlines with another 15 to 20 years on their leases pay less.
Airport spokesman Tom Winfrey said he couldn’t immediately comment on the complaint or confirm the details of the fee increases described by the carriers. A spokeswoman for Alaska Airlines and spokesman for Frontier Airlines didn’t immediately return calls.
