County needs to face reality on Paine Field

Published 6:44 pm Friday, January 9, 2009

The question of commercial passenger service at Paine Field is no longer if, or even really when. The biggest question left is how, and even that one isn’t hard to answer.

Scheduled passenger flights at Snohomish County’s airport have been a flashpoint of controversy for years, opposed by many residents of Mukilteo and other south county cities who worry about increased noise and other impacts. Such fears, while understandable, are exaggerated. Newer airplanes are much quieter, and there isn’t room for Paine Field to become the region’s second major commercial airport.

Two developments last week put momentum firmly behind passenger service. The Boeing Co., whose widebody assembly plant is located at Paine Field and which had been silent on the issue of passenger service, announced in a letter to county officials that such flights wouldn’t hamper its operations. What does worry the company, the letter stressed, is the possibility that efforts to block commercial service could jeopardize FAA funding for airport improvements that are critical to Boeing. Without that money, the letter implied, Boeing’s days in Everett could be numbered.

The other development was the release of a report to the county executive and county council from a national legal firm that specializes in airport law. It concludes that it is in the county’s best interest to reach agreements with Horizon Air and Allegiant Air, which both want to launch modest levels of service from Everett (Horizon would like to start this spring), and to build a minimal terminal facility that the county would own and operate.

Doing that would ensure that the county complies with FAA rules, and keep federal money flowing to the airport. That’s crucial, as Boeing made clear. The county has asked for $73 million for airport capital needs in the next five to seven years. Most of that money will come at the discretion of the FAA, which has already sharply reminded the county that it is legally obligated to negotiate in good faith with Horizon and Allegiant.

The economic stimulus package that President-elect Barack Obama will propose is expected to accelerate FAA spending on Paine Field projects. That opportunity mustn’t be put at risk.

Some opponents of commercial service have urged the county to discourage Horizon and Allegiant by refusing to invest in a terminal. Bad idea. The county would have to lease ground space to the airlines, which could simply hire a private third party to build the terminal. Ceding control of the facility, and the revenues it could generate, to a third party makes no sense.

Money for a terminal would come out of the airport budget, not the county general fund. Some federal help might even be available. And the total county contribution could be repaid in about five years through airline and parking fees.

It’s time for the county to face reality: There’s a market for commercial passenger service, and it can’t stop airlines from providing it. The best course is to maximize the county’s influence over it by negotiating a favorable deal and building a terminal.