Improvement Fee Frequently Asked Questions
The North Peace Airport Society introduced an
Airport Improvement Fee September 01, 1998 to raise funds for the renovation and
construction of the Air Terminal Building.
The fee is $12.00 per
departing passenger.
North Peace Airport Services has negotiated with
airlines to have the AIF added to the ticket price. It is included when you
purchase an Airline ticket and there is no need to purchase an AIF ticket prior
to departure. All non scheduled flights who use the terminal building will be
billed by North Peace Airport Services for AIF fees.
Initial projections are for a maximum of 25 years;
however, the amount of borrowing interest rates and revenues will all play a
factor. The Society wants the shortest possible time to reduce unnecessary
interest costs.
NPAS will use the money to
renovate and increase space in the terminal building.
The $4.5 million rebuilding project will provide the
following enhancements:
- Barrier free access
- A new arrivals area
- Realigning check-in counters for more efficiency
- An expanded waiting and queuing areas and automatic
entrances
- Relocation of the restaurant to a more visible,
central location
- A conference and emergency operations centre
- And relocation of Airport Operations inside the
terminal.
Yes. The common law foundation of trespass, as set
out in Section 41 of the Criminal Code, ensures the right to collect the AIF.
Since the airport is under the exclusive ownership of the Society, it can assess
the fee to passengers using its facilities much the same way as the owner of a
private toll bridge or a highway, such as the Coquahalla Highway, can charge a
fee to the people using it.
The use of an airline ticket is subject to the
holder's obligation to comply with all departure procedures, including security
requirements and payment of the Airport Improvement Fee.
First, it' is 30 years old and important parts of the
infrastructure are at the end of their useful life: things like the roof, the
boilers, electrical and fire alarm systems, plumbing and the heating and
ventilation systems can no longer do what we need them to do. Exterior walls and
window framing are damaged and deteriorating. Lack of a sprinkler system and
automated doors do not meet current building code and accessibility
requirements.
Secondly, we are running out of space. A lack of
space for new Airline services and retail and passenger services exists now. The
terminal will no longer meet the demands of a growing North Peace Region.
Before 1997, when the Federal Government operated the
Airport, capital improvements were paid through general tax revenues.
In 1997, the Airport was transferred to the North
Peace Airport Society to be operated as a private business. The airport raises
money for normal operations through aviation fees and rent from sub-leases.
These revenues, however, are not sufficient to pay for the major upgrade, which
is now needed, and we do not have the option of asking for taxpayers' money. The
only option is to charge a fee for using the facility, in effect a user pay
philosophy.
We are committed to a transparent process, in which
money collected is accounted for separately in our financial statements. We will
ensure that the public has input into decisions about the building and is kept
informed of progress.
We are further committed to spending prudently and
frugally, understanding that we are collecting directly from the public, and
need to be accountable for how that money is spent. We understand that people
are looking for a functional, efficient building, not a monument.
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Construction for the new air terminal building is
scheduled to commence in the spring of 2004.
The first phase will be the construction of a
temporary building that will house all the air terminal building functions.
These include airline check-in, security screening, arrivals area and rental car
companies.
Once the temporary terminal building is in operation,
the current air terminal building will be demolished, making way for the
construction of the new air terminal building.
The new air terminal is scheduled to be open in early
2005.
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