You can, but the difference is that those are all private companies, so if they have to find new funding, its their own responsibility to do so or fail. Airports are part of our public transportation infrastructure, and any new source of funding they find will result in higher costs for everyone except FlightCar users, because all the costs from rental companies will get spread out elsewhere. A public company like that has much different pressures (for example, they likely would not be allowed to fail if they have trouble finding a revenue source people like, and can always fall back to taxes) than a private company which is on its own.
>Airports are part of our public transportation infrastructure, and any new source of funding they find will result in higher costs for everyone except FlightCar users, because all the costs from rental companies will get spread out elsewhere
Alright, pass those costs on. What's the alternative? We live with a less efficient system because we're used to car renters subsidizing everyone else?
It seems rather silly and inefficient that people have to pay more for their airport coffee or airplane tickets just because rental car companies decide stop paying their fees.
>> What's the alternative? We live with a less efficient system because we're used to car renters subsidizing everyone else?
Car renters aren't "subsidizing" everyone else. The article makes clear that rentals are just one of a variety of revenue sources for airports. Looked at another way: why should public transit riders pay for the infrastructure to support rental car agencies and shuttles?
Also, assuming FlightCar is truly disruptive, they should be able to provide a more efficient and cost-effective service despite paying the airports an appropriate use fee.
Nothing inherently stops Flightcar from just raising prices the 10 - 15% necessary to pay the airport. It might hurt their disruptive price advantage, but if the rental companies are funding the airports operating and Flightcar isn't, that is an artificial advantage.
