$27 Beer at Newark, NJ, Airport? Not Anymore

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is warning vendors not to jack up prices.

After a New York man tweeted about paying more than $27 for a beer at LaGuardia Airport, the Port Authority announced an audit of pricing policies. The cost included a 10% "COVID-19 Recovery Charge."

Port Authority Chairman Kevin O'Toole called the prices "exorbitant," and said new pricing guidelines are designed to keep prices "aligned with the regional marketplace."

The new policy covers LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy, and Newark Liberty Airport vendors.

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According to a Port Authority news release, "The policy caps all concession prices at local, off-airport “street prices” plus a maximum surcharge of 10 percent and requires concessionaires to offer lower-priced food and beverage options to provide a wider range of value for customers."

The Aviation Department’s comprehensive and necessary updates to the street pricing standards and procedures are an important step in improving the operations of airport concessionaires and assuring the traveling public. In addition to outlining clear, specific and detailed steps that must be followed to adhere to the street pricing policy, it also redoubles the emphasis on including lower-priced value items at every concessionaire. The Agency is grateful for the work of the independent Inspector General for pointing out the flaws of the previous policy and recommending some key ways to rectify it. -Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton.

https://www.panynj.gov/port-authority/en/press-room/press-release-archives/2022-press-releases/port-authority-announces-comprehensive-new-measures-to-bolster-compliance-with-street-pricing-policy-at-airport-concessions.html

The man who first drew attention to the issue with his tweet, Cooper Lund, called it victory on Twitter. "Finally, justice for me," Lund wrote.

All customers who suspect pricing violations are encouraged to report them via social media and tagging the relevant airport: @EWRAirport; @JFKAirport; @LGAAirport.