Someone had recently asked me, “How do airports make money?” Airports are burdened with the cost of governmental mandates, such as security upgrades, environmental, and compliance with numerous other ordinances. The majority of airports are publicly owned and are financed through airport bonds and municipal grants. To raise money, airports lease hangars, buildings, fuel farm facilities, gates, terminal space, and sometimes entire terminals to airlines, FBOs (Fixed Based Operators), freight companies, restaurants/concessions, and other corporate entities which amount to the single largest source of income.

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