Privatization Plan For California Airport Faces Obstacles

Privatization Plan For California Airport Faces Obstacles -

I must admit that I don't understand the benefits of privatizing an airport. In most situations, I don't think GA airports are economic engines. It's kind of like a toll on a neighborhood street. Sure the street is useful, and sure some will pay to use it, but it's not like a big company is going to come in and buy the neighborhood toll road- because it will never pay for itself.

As pilots we certainly find airports handy, but most any airport land in a urban or suburban area would make more money as retail or residential development. Like the neighborhood street, airports are useful, but not as an investment. I guess that means that our flying activities are to some extent subsidized. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Our driving is similarly subsidized as well as the use of waterways.

Maybe we should accept that an airport, like a road, is an important utility, but one which is difficult to capture the economic value of. If we were to try and capture that value, the result would be less flying and possibly destruction of the general aviation industry.

So, back to the original article, I have nothing against private airports, I just think in many instances they don't make sense.