There are over 5,000 public-use airports in the United States, and nearly 13,000 private
airports, according to the 1998 National
Transportation Statistics. The number of public use airports
has grown over 10% in the last 20 years.
Air travel has been the "winner" in the competition for federal funding in the last quarter of the 20th Century. Federal expenditures for aviation have grown from 15% to 25% of the total since 1980, while investment in highway transportation has been steady at nearly 50%. Investment in water transportation has dropped a few percentage points, to less that 10% overall in the same 20 years. The number of coastal ports is essentially fixed at 120; it is easier to build an airport than a harbor. More surprisingly, the investment in transit systems has dropped nearly three percentage points, to 11%, over the same time.
Virginia has two Federally-owned airports - Dulles and Reagan National - whose development has been constrained at times by the requirement to obtain annual budgets from the Congress. When Dulles was built, far away from Wasington in the Virginia countryside, the Federal Aviation Administration built the Dulles Access Road to ensure fast ground transportation to the capital. It was a boring drive through the farms and woodlots of Fairfax County; only two structures were visible from the highway to break up the visual monotony of the trip. Later, after construction of I-66, the Federal government funded an extension of the Dulles Access Road inside the Beltway to I-66.
Federal management helped ensure that the road was not converted into a commuter highway. As described by General Pete Quesada, the first FAA administrator (appointed by President Eisenhower in 1959):
Until 1987, the two airports in Northern Virginia were owned and operated by the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S. Department of Transportation. To streamline the process for making long-term capital improvements without interference from short-term political considerations, Dulles and Reagan National have been leased to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority for 50 years. Since 1987 the authority has issued $2 billion in long-term capital bonds, financed by projected landing fees and concessioner profits, to expand the capacity and efficiency of the airports. The decision to lease, rather than transfer ownership, theoretically protects the ownership rights of the Federal taxpayers who funded the development of the airports
It also reflects the political disputes over the management of the airports, and concerns of Maryland officials that Baltimore-Washington International should continue to thrive. The original composition of the oversight board was debated extensively in 1986, with major concerns regarding Virginia's control.
Currently, there are 13 people appointed to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority by the governors of Maryland and Virginia, the mayor of Washington DC, and the President. The original Board of Review created by Congress was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, after determining that legislative leaders could not appoint personnel to a board with executive branch responsibilities. 49 USC 491 now states "The Airports Authority shall be governed by a board of directors composed of the following 13 members: (A) 5 members appointed by the Governor of Virginia; (B) 3 members appointed by the Mayor of the District of Columbia; (C) 2 members appointed by the Governor of Maryland; and (D) 3 members appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate."
The Congressional involvement was reflected recently in what Senator Robb called "the strangulation of the capital region's airports" by blocking grants under the Airport Improvement Program and authority to use Passenger Facility Charges until more flights were authorized from Reagan National. The perimeter rule steers cross-continental and international flights to Dulles... but by excluding Phoenix, the rule has drawn the opposition of Senator John McCain from Arizona, who has proposed relaxing the perimeter rule. The General Assembly supported the Federally-mandated perimeter rule, limiting flights from Reagan National to airports within 1,250 miles.
Virginia wants both of the airports to grow, enhancing the economy of the region. However, elected officials representing residents near National hear strong complaints about the constant aircraft noise. In theory, increasing traffic at Dulles while holding growth at National to a minimum would benefit the region. In reality, ground travel from National to various offices in DC or Northern Virginia in far quicker than driving on the Dulles Access Road into the city. Passengers in a hurry prefer the closer-in airport, so business interests seek to expand the number of flights into National rather than meekly accept "suggestions" to land at Dulles.
The Richmond airport has some of the highest fares in the country, and has been unable to convince a low-cost airline to start flying out of that airport. There are separate airports in Richmond, Newport News, and Norfolk, splitting the market. Because there is an insufficient number of passengers leaving from any one of the airports, the low-cost airlines are unwilling to invest in the Richmond market. The three airports continue to invest in upgrading their separate facilities, and there is no regional approach to airport development that might change the current pattern.
Virginia Airports: