The Price of Air

Gas station chain being sued for charging to use air pumps.

November 20, 2014

BALTIMORE – A lawsuit was filed last week against the parent company of Royal Farms, for failing to provide free air to customers at its Baltimore gas stations. The suit was filed based on a little-known but long-standing law in the City of Baltimore requiring gas stations to provide an air pump to customers free-of-charge. The lawsuit is seeking to recover money for anyone who has paid to use air pumps at the 20 Royal Farms locations in Baltimore in the past 12 years, according to news reports.

At least two states, California and Connecticut, have similar laws to the one in Baltimore City. In California, gas stations must provide free air to customers purchasing fuel. In Connecticut, stations that sell more than 10,000 gallons per month must provide free air during business hours.

Royal Farms began rolling out free air at several of its Baltimore stations in April, well before the lawsuit, and hopes to have it available at all 16 city stations by year’s end. According to a report in The Daily Record of Baltimore, Royal Farms Marketing Manager Ed Stronski, said that the company will offer free air at all but 125 of its locations in the mid-Atlantic region.

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