Request for Federal COVID-19 Relief for Airports and Concessionaires

Dear Speaker Pelosi, Majority Leader McConnell, Senate Minority Leader Schumer and House Minority Leader McCarthy:

As you consider the next phase of coronavirus relief, we urge you to provide much needed assistance to airports and the diverse group of aviation concessionaires that provide valuable services at airport facilities across the country. Both airports and airport concessionaires have been hit hard by the pandemic and the significant loss of revenue throughout the aviation system as passenger levels have fallen by 70 to 75 percent from last year’s levels. The impacts on airports and the businesses that serve them has been severe and the prospects for a quick recovery are dim. Air passengers, upon whom airports and concessionaires depend, are not projected to return to pre-pandemic levels for several years at best.

As representatives of airports and a broad group of airport concessionaires, Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA); the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE); the Airport Restaurant and Retail Association (ARRA); the Airport Minority Advisory Council 2 | Page (AMAC); the American Car Rental Association (ACRA); the International Association of Airport Duty Free Shops (IAADFS); and the National Parking Association (NPA) fully support at a minimum the $10 billion in proposed assistance for airports under active discussion as part of the ongoing negotiations on the next phase of coronavirus relief. Collectively, we also ask that Congress provide an additional $3.5 billion in federal assistance to allow airports to provide “minimum annual guarantees” (MAGs) and rent relief for airport concessionaires. We are confident that this can be done in a way that ensures that airport concessionaires receive critical relief without unduly burdening airports. We have attached legislative language that we all agree would accomplish that goal.

Funding for airports and concessionaires is critical to the recovery of our aviation system and the broader economy. We urge the inclusion of critical assistance for both groups as part of the relief bill currently being assembled by Senate and House leaders.

Thank you for your consideration.

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​​Sincerely,

​Rob Wigington
Executive Director
​Airport Restaurant and Retail Association 

​Anthony W. Barnes
Chief Operating Officer
Airport Minority Advisory Council

Todd Hauptli
President and Chief Executive Officer 
American Association of Airport
​Executives

Kevin M. Burke
President and Chief Executive Officer
​Airports Council International North America

Christine Banning
President
National Parking Association
​Free Stores

Michael Payne
President and Chief Executive Officer
​International Association of Airport Duty 

Sharon Faulkner
Executive Director
​American Car Rental Association