The financial support is set to be used to help sustain employment within the industry as well as providing relief to retail and concession firms
The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that it will be granting $8bn (£5.7bn) in financial support to help keep airport employees working, construction jobs running and soften the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
This new funding is the result of the American Rescue Plan Act 2021 that was signed by President Biden in March.
Available to commercial services, relievers and general airports, the support is hoped to keep people safe and employed. Hubs can also choose to use the money to provide rent relief to retail and concession companies.
“The Airport Rescue Grants keep workers employed and help the aviation sector recover as more Americans get vaccinated and begin travelling again,” said Pete Buttigieg, US transportation secretary. “These grants are part of the Administration’s commitment to build back a better and safer transportation system throughout our country.”
To be eligible for the grant, airports must ensure that at least 90% of all pre-pandemic staff remain employed.
Primary commercial service sites are expected to share around $6.5bn (£4.6bn), with an additional $800m (£572m) to be made available to help relieve in-terminal concessions.
Non-primary commercial services and general airports should receive $100m (£71m) based on whether they are regional, national, local or basic. The remaining $8bn (£5.7bn) is expected to be used on grants through the FAA improvement programme.
Hubs being granted the funding include Philadelphia, Yeager, Ted Stevens Anchorage, Gulfport-Biloxi, Louis Lambert, Portland, Daniel K Inouye, Raleigh-Durham, Seattle-Tacoma and Portland.
