Gauging the Gap: Event Pricing vs. Ethical Practice
Each year, major sporting and cultural events such as the Super Bowl, The Masters, and Formula 1 races draw a surge of business aviation traffic into host and neighboring airports. For Fixed Base Operators (FBOs), these events are both operational challenges and opportunities. Unfortunately, they have also become openings for some service providers to levy “Special Event Fees” that far exceed any reasonable reflection of actual costs.
These surcharges, sometimes reaching tens of thousands of dollars per aircraft, often appear on invoices with little explanation. Operators and passengers planning flights into host cities can face sticker shock when they discover that what was supposed to be a high-end service experience has turned into an exercise in opportunistic pricing. Some may even cancel their flight(s) and choose alternate commercial transportation due to the exorbitant fees.
Yes, operating private aircraft is undeniably expensive, but that reality does not justify unscrupulous behavior. The perception that “the rich CEO can afford it” should not give service providers a free pass to impose disproportionate charges. Many operators work within tight budgets, and even large corporations deserve transparent, ethical pricing.
The problem is not that FBOs should refrain from recovering legitimate costs associated with major events, or from making a fair profit. The real issue is that many of these fees are disconnected from true infrastructure or operational expenses and instead reflect temporary market power. This practice is most common among large, investor-driven chains that view special events as profit centers first and aviation touchpoints second. Smaller and mid-sized providers tend to view these moments as opportunities to showcase their service and support the industry ecosystem they depend on year-round.
Operating a first-class FBO involves significant fixed and fluctuating costs. These, along with airport market rates, are real, ongoing necessities and investments that justify their pricing. During large events, there can certainly be incremental expenses, including but not limited to temporary staffing, additional security coordination, ramp management, overtime, rented equipment such as tugs, GPUs, or golf carts, and an increase in facility expenses. These costs are somewhat predictable and manageable with proper planning. They do not justify blanket five-figure surcharges levied on individual operators.
In my opinion, the heart of this issue has two problems: transparency and ethics. “Special Event Fees” are frequently presented as non-negotiable lump sums, with little or no line-item detail to explain their basis. While line-item transparency may not be standard practice for FBO invoices, these are not standard fees and therefore warrant greater justification. This lack of transparency erodes trust between FBOs, operators, and customers. More importantly, it damages the broader reputation of the business aviation industry and undercuts the ability of many flight departments, especially smaller operators, to include high-profile events in their travel planning.
At a time when business aviation faces increasing public scrutiny, highly publicized examples of excessive fees reinforce a narrative of exploitation rather than partnership. The behavior of a few large players can cast a shadow on the entire industry.
The consequences go beyond optics. Charter operators often operate on thin margins and unexpected surcharges can turn profitable trips into financial losses or force operators to avoid certain airports altogether. When pricing practices effectively restrict access, it undermines business aviation’s core value proposition of flexibility and connectivity.
There are straightforward ways the industry could address this. First, FBOs should provide itemized pre-arrival disclosures of any special fees for aircraft operating during the event period. This is especially important because routine travel can easily coincide with a major event without the client ever realizing it, depending on their own interests. Second, rather than inviting broad pricing oversight, airport authorities and service providers should collaborate early. Establishing special event fee structures well in advance would give operators adequate time to plan and budget, while maintaining operational autonomy for FBOs. Finally, the industry itself can establish codes of conduct around event pricing, balancing fair cost recovery with transparency and stewardship of shared reputational capital.
Surge pricing during high-demand events is not inherently unethical. But when fees become excessive and detached from actual costs, they cross the line into price gouging. Business aviation relies on safety and a shared commitment to service. Bringing that same commitment to ethical pricing is not only the right thing to do, but essential for the long-term health and reputation of the industry.
By Jamie Munoz, General Manager, Galaxy FBO Addison
Jamie Munoz has worked in the aviation industry for over 24 years and currently serves as General Manager for Galaxy FBO. She is passionate about leadership, ethics, and advancing sustainable practices in business aviation.
