AKRON — Unpaid landing fees are mounting for the three air charter companies running deportation flights out of Akron-Canton Regional Airport for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to invoices released by the airport.
The invoices show Eastern Airlines, Global X and Air Wisconsin owe a combined $46,513 for 148 landings since the end of April. Of that total, $33,927 is past due for landings that occurred in May, June and July. Airport vice president Lisa Dalpiaz said the charter companies have not communicated with the airport about the late fees.
Through Sept. 17, total landings had risen to 167 since ICE shifted its deportation flights to Akron-Canton from the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport, which partially closed its longest runway for repairs. The Labor Day weekend week may have been the busiest period so far.
The flights are part of ICE’s air operations network that moves detainees between detention facilities and out of the country. The use of a regional commercial airport for deportation flights has drawn scrutiny from immigration advocates and local observers tracking the planes’ movements.
Airport officials have not said what steps, if any, they plan to take to collect the past-due fees. Landing fee disputes at airports are typically handled through negotiation, though airports can escalate collection efforts if invoices remain unpaid.
The airport serves the Akron-Canton area as a regional alternative to Cleveland’s larger airport. Its management has previously emphasized the facility’s role as a public asset, and the unpaid bills represent a growing concern as the volume of charter landings continues to rise.
