Source: Orlando International Airport

Financial issues were the focal point of the latest Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) board meeting. The Board was presented with preliminary 2024‐2025 Fiscal Year budgets of $941,278,000 for Orlando International Airport (MCO) and $10,692,381 for Orlando Executive Airport (ORL). In the Aviation Authority’s continuing effort to align the budget with the goals of the Strategic Plan, along with providing an exceptional travel experience for airport customers, the proposed budget for MCO includes a 10.3% increase in Operating and Maintenance (O&M) expenses over the prior year budget. Significant drivers of this increase include:

• Additional staffing
• New innovation projects
• Ground transportation services
• Maintenance costs

MCO’s proposed revenue for FY2025 represents an increase of approximately $109.7 million, as compared to the budget for FY2024. The factors responsible include increases in:

• Landing Fees
• Terminal Premises Rentals
• Concessions
• Commercial rental rates
• Hotel occupancy, average room rate, and ancillary services
• Parking and Ground Transportation
• Rental car fees

Orlando Executive Airport’s total revenues for FY 2025 are derived from a variety of sources, including aviation-related fees, commercial properties and contributions from the ORL revenue fund.

The budget process will continue with the Orlando City Council conducting a public hearing within ten days of receipt of this preliminary budget.

Building a Rental Car System for the Future

The Board also approved a request to increase the Customer Facility Charge (CFC) paid by rental car users. The adjustment will raise the CFC from $6.00 to $9.00 per day, with a maximum collection period of 7 days.

In light of the significant growth in traffic and as part of the evaluation of improved and expanded facilities for rental car operations and enhancements to the rental car customer experience, GOAA is pursuing the design and construction of a consolidated rental car facility (ConRAC). A ConRAC would centralize rental car operations from all terminals into its own dedicated facility. This consolidation would free up significant space in the passenger parking garages currently occupied by the rental car companies. The ConRAC is expected to be funded primarily by CFCs.

The effective date of the increase will be November 1, 2024, in order to give companies time to inform their customers.