Landing fees at Love Field would jump 57 percent under a plan presented Monday to a Dallas City Council committee, resulting in the same rate charged by the airport three decades ago.

The increase from 35 cents to 55 cents per 1,000 pounds still places Love Field far below the average landing fees charged by similar airports.

"If we were charging the landing fee that was just average, we'd be making an additional $5 million, and landing fees would be 19 percent of total revenues," said council member Angela Hunt. "Frankly, the 55-cent fee is 20 years out of date."

Dallas Love Field first set a 55-cent landing fee in 1975. Twelve years later, the City Council offered a fee structure to encourage airlines to operate quieter airplanes at the airport.

Fees for older, noisier aircraft remained at 55 cents per 1,000 pounds, while newer, quieter aircraft paid 35 cents. By 2000, the Federal Aviation Administration required that all aircraft be the quieter version.

Even so, Love Field kept the 35-cent landing fee.

Council member Ron Natinsky said the fees should have bounced back up years ago when the lower rate was no longer necessary as an incentive. "We missed revenue," he said.

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Aviation director Kenneth Gwyn said the fee increase, along with additional flights at the airport because of a change in the Wright amendment allowing flights to Missouri, is projected to add about $476,000 in revenues in fiscal year 2006 and would put the airport's finances back in the black by fiscal year 2007.

However, council members asked why it has taken so long to increase fees and why they're only going up 20 cents, especially because the landing fees would still be as much as $1.48 less than the average rate at comparably sized airports. Meanwhile, parking and concession rates are some of the highest.

"Why don't we put some of this on the backs of the major airlines?" Ms. Hunt asked.

Ron Ricks, Southwest's senior vice president of law, airports and public affairs, said the airline is OK with an increase of 20 cents in landing fees but not more than that.

"If that's going to change, we have to go back and reconsider," Mr. Ricks said.

The issue will go before the City Council on Feb. 22 for a decision. If the council approves the new rates, they would go into effect April 1.