FAA Reauthorization Act Including Rep. Calvert’s Ontario Airport Bill Signed into Law

Today, President Obama signed into law the FAA Reauthorization Act, which included legislation (H.R. 4369) introduced by Congressman Ken Calvert (CA-42) that will facilitate the transfer of Ontario International Airport from the city of Los Angeles to the Ontario International Airport Authority (OIAA).


"I am absolutely thrilled that we have been able to move the Ontario Airport legislation across the finish line," said Rep. Calvert. "It is especially meaningful to have this bill signed into law because I know how important it is to Inland Empire residents to restore local control of Ontario Airport. Putting the aviation future of our region into our own hands has been a long road, but I have been proud to play a role in this critically important effort."


The agreement to transfer Ontario Airport is structured in such a way that $120 million in Passenger Facilities Charges (PFC) is required to be transferred from ONT to Los Angeles Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) over ten years. Specifically, $50 million in ONT PFCs must be reimbursed to LAWA in five years and an additional $70 million in ONT PFCs must be paid back to LAWA/LAX in ten years. This transaction represents a reimbursement of LAX PFCs that were transferred to ONT in the 1990s to help pay for the construction of a new terminal. Under current law PFCs are only permitted to be applied to the airport or airport systems at which they are collected. Since LAX and ONT will no longer be connected this legislation is necessary. The legislation does not incur any cost to taxpayers.

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