When the COVID-19 pandemic began, air travel came to a near standstill for months. That, plus costs associated with sanitizing and other public health measures left small regional airports in the red.
Now, some of those airports are getting federal funds as part of the $1.9 trillion stimulus measure signed by President Joe Biden last March.
Mahlon Sweet Field in Eugene will get more than $7 million. Rogue Valley International – Medford Airport will get more than $6 million. Airports in Klamath Falls, Redmond, Newport, Lake County and Grant County will be getting smaller amounts of aid.
A portion of the money will be used to support airport concessionaires whose income evaporated when COVID disrupted air travel.
“These funds are critical to the continued recovery of our national airport system, severely impacted from the effects of the global pandemic,” said Eugene Airport Director Cathryn Stephens, in a press release. “These grants will be used to ensure the continued safe and secure operation of EUG and to support our airport concessionaires weathering this storm with us. We are grateful for the continued support of our congressional delegation.”