Airport Commission Meeting Summary – September 4, 2026

The Rochester Airport Commission met on September 4, 2026, per the provided timestamp, with a quorum present. The commission approved the agenda and consent calendar, received July 2026 financial and operational/marketing reports, and approved two new business items: a basement lease extension and a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reimbursement agreement. Note: The agenda and transcript identify the meeting date as September 8, 2026; the supplied timestamp says 2026-09-04, and this summary follows the supplied date.

Consent Calendar

• The minutes of the Airport Commission meeting of August 4, 2026, were approved as the official record.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No members of the public were present for comments; the public comment period was closed after no one came forward.

Reports

Airport Financials – July 2026

• The financial report was received and filed. Staff noted the combined operating fund position was on track, with the levy already received; last year's higher balance reflected final COVID-era funding that has now ended.
• Fund balances were lower than normal due to a large reimbursement expected to be recorded in August, which should restore the balance.
• Staff confirmed the TSA reimbursement agreement on the agenda was not included in these numbers and would be new dollars for future budgets.
• Commissioners discussed Passenger Facility Charges (PFCs). Staff said the airport collects the full $4.50 PFC per eligible passenger, minus 11 cents retained by airlines for administration. PFCs are dedicated to capital projects and are currently leveraged for at least another 10 years, including the CAP two project. Additional airline seats would generate more PFC dollars. Staff noted that raising the PFC remains a national priority for airport executives but faces strong airline opposition.

Airport Operational and Marketing Data – July 2026

• The operational and marketing report was received and filed. Employment and seat numbers were on track, but the airport needs more flights to improve departing flight options.
• July passenger traffic was up 1% overall and up 7% year-to-date, which staff described as bucking the national trend.
• Delta had another strong month, up 13% year over year, with an 81% load factor for the second consecutive month. American was down 12%, driven largely by operational issues such as weather and mechanical problems; American's seats were relatively flat, with 11,765 seats in July 2026 compared to 11,245 in July 2025, and its load factor slipped from the 70s to 66 month over month.
• Parking and car rental revenues increased marginally. International activity was down slightly from the prior month but followed historical seasonal patterns. Cargo was recovering but remained down 3% year over year, and total operations were still recovering from a light January and construction-related impacts on general aviation.
• Marketing staff reported modest audience growth and strong search growth despite a planned summer budget pullback, aided by reposting evergreen content such as the airport ASMR video.
• Staff introduced the CPATC metric, described as the cost to get a consumer to add a ticket to the cart in the airport's search widget. The Isabella ad performed well at $7 per add-to-cart, while a retargeting ad cost $23 per add-to-cart.

New Business

7.A – Amendment to Agreement for Leasing Space in the Basement of the Terminal

• The commission authorized an amendment to the agreement between the City of Rochester and the Rochester Airport Company for basement storage space in the terminal.
• The amendment replaces the expiration date and extends the term through the end of 2027; the rate and square footage remain the same. The lease has been in place since 2015 and provides a transparent exchange of value with the FAA.
• The motion passed by voice vote with no opposition.

7.B – Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Reimbursement Agreement

• The commission adopted a resolution accepting the reimbursement agreement and authorizing execution of the necessary documents with the TSA and the Department of Homeland Security.
• Staff explained the agreement covers 5,000 checkpoint support hours at $110.25 per hour, with an annual allocation of just over $127,000. This reinstates federal reimbursement that was previously removed from budgets, and the airport is bringing it forward before final legal language is issued to ensure the funds are captured before the federal fiscal year ends. Legal review will occur before final execution.
• In discussion, staff noted the airport is legally required to staff the checkpoint and that the reimbursement supports checkpoint operating hours rather than FTEs. Even with automatic exit doors, someone must respond when doors go into lockdown; staff will continue cross-utilizing personnel to optimize operations.
• The motion passed unanimously.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the consent calendar and the July 2026 financial and operational/marketing reports.
• Approved both new business items by voice vote with no opposition.
• Staff indicated that the next meeting will include a deeper commission discussion of parking operations and potential improvements, with a base project to be presented for additional commission input.
• The meeting adjourned at 2:26 p.m., after a 26-minute session.