The Port bell TOLLS for thee
Port to hold public meetings
The Port authority
that operates New York’s
airports and many of its
bridges and tunnels is proposing
KLM PIONEERS
AVIATION HISTORY
CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF FLYING
AIRPORT VOICE, JULY 2019 3
On 7 October, KLM will
become the world’s first
airline still operating under
its original name to
mark its 100th anniversary.
KLM has reached
this auspicious milestone
because it is committed to
seizing opportunities, accepting
challenges, connecting
with partners and
embracing new technology.
At a festive event it announced
its intention to
join together for the future
aviation by inviting all industry
stakeholders to join
hands in pursuit of a more
sustainable future for aviation,
under the banner “Fly
Responsibly”. To this end,
KLM President & CEO Pieter
Elbers said “ Over the
past hundred years, KLM’s
entrepreneurial spirit and
quest for innovation have
played a pioneering role in
the aviation industry. Our
centenary is an opportunity
to reaffirm our commitment
to our ambition: to
become the most customercentric,
innovative, and efficient
European network
carrier with a deep-rooted
determination to address
the challenges that lie
ahead.”
fare and toll hikes
across the board of its facilities,
some potentially
taking effect as early as
this fall, to keep pace with
inf lation and help fund
more than $30 billion in
capital projects over the
next decade. It laid out its
plans at the recent Board
meeting to raise tolls at its
bridges and tunnels and
hike fares on its PATH rail
service and on trains to
JFK and Newark Liberty
International airports.
It also will seek a $4 surcharge
on app-based car
services and taxis when
they pick up fares at New
York-area airports.
The Port also launched
an extensive public comment
period – including
three public hearings in
New York and three in
New Jersey in July – on the
agency’s proposal for the
first inflation-based toll increases
to the agency’s six
bridges and tunnels since
2015; changes to PATH’s
fare structure; the first increases
to AirTrain fares in
14 years; and a new airport
ground transportation access
fee. The hearings will
also allow for public comment
on the agency’s reassessment
of its 2017-2026
$32.2 billion Capital Plan,
which includes $4.8 billion
in additional spending. Of
the proposed $4.8 billion
increase, approximately
$4.5 billion or 94 percent of
the increase, is projected
to be funded by additional
JFK KLM Station Manager Ajay Dhawan announcing the KLM 100th
year anniversary.
non-toll and non-fare revenues,
including revenue
increases from the following:
terminal rents; airline
cost recoveries; user fees;
anticipated receipt of passenger
facility charges; and
Sandy recovery and airport
improvement grants associated
with certain projects.
Public hearings just began.
Closest to JFK and
LaGuardia is Hearing
#6, July 30, 7:00 pm.JFK
Building 14, 3rd Floor.
A board vote could happen
as early as September.
“Port Authority facilities
are vital to the regional and
national economy. Regional
growth is driving record volumes
across our facilities all
while the agency is delivering
on unprecedented levels
of infrastructure investment,”
said Port Authority
Chairman Kevin O’Toole.
“We look forward to hearing
from the public on the
proposals announced today,
which build on the work of
previous boards and are necessary
to maintain our commitment
to transforming
legacy assets into modern,
world-class facilities capable
of meeting 21st century expectations.”
The increases are needed
to keep up with inflation and
bring fares and tolls in line
with other transportation
agencies, the Port Authority
said. For example, fares
on the air trains to Newark
and JFK airports haven’t
risen in more than a dozen
years. Fares on PATH trains
haven’t risen in five years.
Toll increases tied to inflation
at the authority’s
four bridges and two tunnels
were authorized by the Port
Authority board in 2008 and
again in 2011. Tolls rose in
four scheduled increases between
2012 and 2015. Based
on inflation since then, a
threshold will be reached in
2020 to require another hike,
the Port Authority said.
Cash tolls would rise
from $15 to $16, and E-ZPass
rates would rise $1.25 for
both peak and off-peak periods,
by the beginning of
2020, under the proposal described
Tuesday.
The air trains to JFK
and Newark airports would
rise from $5.00 at JFK and
$5.50 at Newark to $7.75 at
both. Single-ride PATH rail
tickets would stay at $2.75
but discounts for multi-ride
passes would be significantly
reduced.
Taxis and app-based car
services would be charged
$4.00 for each fare picked
up at one of the airports,
and the app-based services
would also be charged $4.00
for each drop-off.