New Dallas Love Field fees on rental cars and general aviation landing are up for a vote of the Dallas Council this week as the city works to manage demand at the busy airport.
The $3 a day fee on car rental would pay for a detailed study of a consolidated rental car facility at the Dallas airport where space is limited.
Dallas Love Field has seen a big increase in passenger traffic and demand for rental cars since the 2014 end of long haul flight restrictions. Multiple buses serve multiple rental company locations from one curbside Love Field terminal pick up location.
“Our curb is a challenge, as we’ve seen the rise in transportation network companies, and just the increased volume in drop offs and pick-ups,” said Dallas Aviation Director Mark Duebner. “The rental car companies are challenged with finding space to store cars for those peak times when the rental demand is there.”
Locations being considered include nearby land away from the current Love Field property.
The fee would be in place for 2 years of study and could increase sooner if the city decides to go forward with construction.
“A lot of factors go into making this decision and we want to be well informed before we make this recommendation to Council,” Duebner said.
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Customers have mixed feelings.
Darrell Reuss from St. Louis said he has visited other cities with consolidated rental car facilities and he does not mind paying for it.
“It depends on the rental car facility,” Reuss said. “If they’re going to get it off-site to make the facility safer, I don’t think it’s a big deal.”
Frequent Love Field rental car customer Tammy Smay from the Omaha, Nebraska area said she likes the method she has now for reaching her car and does not wish to pay the extra fee.
“I would prefer not to. And I would prefer not to be on one giant shuttle. It takes longer to pick up people. It takes longer to get to your destination,” she said.
DFW Airport already operates car rental that way with a central location for all companies served by one bus instead of multiple buses for each company.
DFW Airport charges a $4 a day fee for the facility and a $2.50 daily fee for the buses that serve it.
The Dallas City Council agenda item on Love Field Wednesday includes the first ever landing fees for general aviation business aircraft.
Duebner said General Aviation is 38% of the Love Field traffic and the landing fee is intended to make that portion pay its way for the runways and taxiways it uses.
Dallas Executive Airport at Highway 67 and Hampton Road is not adding a landing fee.
“We’d be more than happy to accommodate anyone that needed a home other than Love Field to move to Dallas Executive,” Duebner said.
The Dallas City Council item is #31 on Wednesday’s agenda.
