Clay Lacy Aviation has announced it will not charge special event fees at any of its US FBO locations during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which begins on June 11.
The company said the decision reflects its view that the tournament, which spans 16 host cities across three countries over a full month of play, will not create the kind of compressed, high-volume traffic surges that typically justify special event pricing.
“In our industry, special event fees were originally implemented to help offset the legitimate and significant costs associated with handling high-volume traffic within a compressed timeframe such as the Super Bowl, Kentucky Derby or Formula 1 race weekends,” said Doug Wilson, chief business officer for Clay Lacy Aviation FBOs. “These events can require flying in additional personnel, securing accommodations, bringing in extra ground support equipment and mobilizing more fuel trucks to meet demand, all of which drive real operational expense.”
Wilson added that the scope of special event fees had expanded in recent years to include smaller events that do not generate significant air traffic. The company said it anticipated no such logistical strain during the World Cup, with the possible exception of the final match on July 19 outside New York City.
“For this global celebration of sport, we want to ensure clients from around the world can enjoy simple, fair and exceptional service, without any unnecessary surcharges,” Wilson said.
Clay Lacy operates full-service FBOs in Van Nuys and Orange County, California, and in Oxford, Connecticut. The company is also offering jet charter flights to all 16 host cities.
