Landing Fees Soar 59% at Ontario, 13.5% at LAX

Landing fees at Ontario International Airport were increased 59% Thursday, and they were raised 13.5% at LAX.

The increases were approved by the Los Angeles World Airports Board of Commissioners

Mary Jane Olhasso, Ontario’s economic development director, said the increases will make it tougher on the city to attract cargo companies and passenger airlines. The city recently failed to attract airlines to fly nonstop to Washington, D.C., and is trying to add more flights to Chicago.

“It is going to add to the cost of doing business in Ontario,” Olhasso said. “The timing isn’t good. It will be one more deterrent when we go into discussions with airlines. It makes it harder to make a case when costs go up.”

But Airport Manager Jens Rivera did not consider the increase a significant deterrent. He said landing fees amount to about 5% of an airline’s cost, and Ontario’s are lower than many other airports’ fees.

In Los Angeles, Mayor Richard Riordan had fought to increase the landing fees at Los Angeles International Airport to help defray costs, beating back several lawsuits from the airlines.