Commission Delays Action on RIC’s Fixed-Base Operations

Following broad-ranging discussions on a proposal to perform fixed-based operations (FBO) at Richmond International Airport (RIC), the 14-member Capital Region Airport Commission deferred action today on a plan that would have ended decades-long arrangements with private contractors that provide aviation services to general aviation aircraft and their passengers as well as fuel services to commercial airlines.

The Commission indicated that it will reconsider the matter at its August 27, 2024, meeting.

The proposal to assume control of RIC’s fixed-base operations – together with plans to enhance the FBO facilities and customer experience – grew out of the cancellation of two RFPs issued by the Commission in January 2023 and September 2023 when the Commission determined that the prospective contractors’ RFP responses failed to meet expectations.

In deferring a vote on the matter, the Commission said that it will continue to explore significant improvements to the Airport’s FBO facilities and services.

“The reality is that we are in a competitive environment with airports around the nation when it comes to these types of facilities,” said Perry J. Miller, Ph.D., RIC’s president and CEO. “The bar of the passenger experience has been raised, and the question to us is, ‘Will we respond in a way that represents the best of what Richmond can be?’ RIC is the front door to our region for a great many people including those who arrive here on corporate aircraft who may be considering relocating new businesses or other economic development opportunities. With that the case, it’s critical that we find a path forward in creating a first-class passenger experience.”

Miller noted that other airports around the country – including those in Columbus, Ohio; Punta Gorda, Florida; Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina; and Jackson Hole, Wyoming – have completed similar overhauls to their FBO facilities.

The Capital Region Airport Commission, in cooperation with federal, state and local partners, has invested hundreds of millions of dollars over the past three decades in renovating and expanding Richmond International Airport. As a result of the region’s vision, collaboration and commitment, RIC provides a world-class flying experience to close to 5 million passengers annually, having been named last year as the “Most Efficient Airport in North America” among airports its size.

Despite that progress, it is generally acknowledged that RIC’s FBO facilities do not currently meet the standards that reflect the region’s size and posture, creating a desire to raise the bar on the passenger experience for those using its FBO facilities.

About the Capital Region Airport Commission and Richmond International Airport
As owner and operator of Richmond International Airport, the Capital Region Airport Commission’s vision is to move people, business, and commerce to advance the Richmond region. Nine passenger airlines and four dedicated cargo carriers offer domestic service from the Airport with connecting options to points around the globe. According to the Commonwealth of Virginia, activities attributable to RIC create nearly 16,000 jobs and contribute about $2.1 billion in economic activity annually to Virginia’s Capital Region. To learn more, please visit RIC on the web, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn.

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Contact: Troy M. Bell
804-226-3022
tbell@flyrichmond.com