[PacoMartin]

Originally Posted by Bruff

Right. If anything business-related is owned and operated by government, I say that it's inefficiently run, often corrupt and decidedly un-American.

On the other hand, 75 percent of passenger trips in the EU are now through privatized airports.
That could and should be the case here, too.

Even if you think it is a good idea, the FAA's Airport Privatization Pilot Program is now 20 years old, and the only airport to privatize has been San Juan.

Would you quantify this idea as one of those programs that will never happen?

Airport Privatization Pilot Program: The pilot program began in September 1997.
Congress established FAA's Airport Privatization Pilot Program to explore privatization as a means of generating access to various sources of private capital for airport improvement and development. Private companies may own, manage, lease and develop public airports. The 2012 Reauthorization Act increased the number of airports than can participate from five to 10. The Act authorized FAA to permit up to 10 public airport sponsors to sell or lease an airport with certain restrictions and to exempt the sponsor from certain federal requirements that could otherwise make privatization impractical. The airport owner or lease holder may be exempt from repayment of federal grants, return of property acquired with federal assistance, and the use of proceeds from the airport’s sale or lease to be used exclusively for airport purposes. Only one large hub airport can participate in the program; one of the airports must be a general aviation airport.

Luís Muñoz Marín International Airport San Juan, Puerto Rico
Preliminary application approved December 22, 2009. Airport Sponsor published a Request for Qualifications in July 2011. Sponsor selected Aerostar Airport Holdings on July 19, 2012, to become the private operator. The FAA held a public meeting on September 28, 2012, to hear comments on the final preliminary application. The FAA approved the final application to privatize Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on February 25, 2013.

Since only one large hub airport can participate in the program wouldn't that rule out LAS as the obvious large airport is Chicago Midway International Airport which is roughly 95% of flights to one airline.

Here are the list of airport considered LARGE by the FAA definition (each one carries 1% or more of the nation's traffic)

1. ATL Atlanta
2. LAX Los Angeles
3. ORD Chicago
4. DFW Fort Worth
5. JFK New York
6. DEN Denver
7. SFO San Francisco International Airport
8. LAS Las Vegas
9. SEA Seattle
10. CLT Charlotte
11. PHX Phoenix
12. MIA Miami
13. MCO Orlando
14. IAH Houston
15. EWR Newark
16. MSP Minneapolis
17. BOS Boston
18. DTW Detroit
19. LGA New York
20. PHL Philadelphia
21. FLL Fort Lauderdale
22. BWI Glen Burnie
23. DCA Arlington
24. SLC Salt Lake City
25. MDW Chicago
26. IAD Dulles
27. SAN San Diego
28. HNL Honolulu
29. TPA Tampa
30. PDX Portland

[orca17]

Privatization is not the panacea that many people believe. McCarran Airport is part of the lifeblood of the city. Selling it off to a company with a profit motive only invites trouble. There are some things that government does better than private industry (although many refuse to believe that). Once you relinquish control, you never get it back. If the city was displeased with the way that the airport was run or maintained, all that they could do is complain to an owner who may or may not listen.

[Bruff]

@PacoMartin "Even if you think it is a good idea, the FAA's Airport Privatization Pilot Program is now 20 years old, and the only airport to privatize has been San Juan. Would you quantify this idea as one of those programs that will never happen?"

No, I'd qualify it as one that could happen. Especially in a community that specializes in reinventing itself.

[Bruff]

Originally Posted by orca17

Privatization is not the panacea that many people believe.

Please explain how it's not, perhaps with an example of why.

McCarran Airport is part of the lifeblood of the city.

McCarran is poisoning this city. Look at Denver for an example of the antidote.

Selling it off to a company with a profit motive only invites trouble.

How so...?

There are some things that government does better than private industry.

Like run a school system or transit - or an airport that should have been replaced a decade ago?

Once you relinquish control, you never get it back. If the city was displeased with the way that the airport was run or maintained, all that they could do is complain to an owner who may or may not listen.

Maybe they would be smart enough to include a performance clause so that if people were 'displeased', the people could get it back.

[Hockeygirl063]

Originally Posted by NLVgal

I don't agree with all of your opinions, but thanks for taking the time to explain your stance.

yea sounds rather paranoid if you are so afraid then maybe move some place else that does not have an airport at all

[NLVgal]

Originally Posted by Hockeygirl063

yea sounds rather paranoid if you are so afraid then maybe move some place else that does not have an airport at all

He'd probably better not fly to San Diego. Now THAT airport is right in the middle of everything. Chicago might be off the list as well. Planes that skid off the runway go right into traffic. Oh, LAX as well. Heart of downtown. Traffic is a friggin nightmare there.

I actually consider McCarran to be one of the better airports that I've flown into and out of. (( shrugs))

[NW4me]

Originally Posted by Bruff

There are more than 500 commercial airports in the US owned by state and local governments. Most, including McCarran, could be self-funded.
Do you support having McCarran privatized...or should we leave well-enough alone?

What problem would be solved by privatizing it??

[Willy702]

Originally Posted by NW4me

What problem would be solved by privatizing it??

He's probably figured out they would raise rates on the airlines so maybe 10-20% of the air traffic would be wiped out. Or maybe he wishes they would somehow go out of business so Las Vegas can become a great community of Luddites. Who knows...

[SonOfHender]

Yeah, no.

[Bruff]

Originally Posted by NW4me

What problem would be solved by privatizing it??

Easier to ask "What problem wouldn't be solved by privatizing it?".
Name one thing that giverment does better than the private sector.
(With most of you, I have to keep reminding myself that we're not in China).