The Federal Aviation Administration recently awarded Ohio airports more than $2.2 million in economic relief from the COVID-19 pandemic through the Airport Coronavirus Relief Program.
The bicameral COVID-19 relief package within the end-of-year spending agreement created the program.
The recipients were Cleveland-Hopkins International, $1.48 million; Columbus Regional Airport Authority, $893,548; James M Cox Dayton International, $181,143; Akron-Canton Regional, $87,307; Rickenbacker International, $32,951; and Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, $26,603.
“The aviation industry’s recovery is critical to our nation’s economy,” U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) said. “During this pandemic, the sharp decline in air travel left the industry in an uncertain economic position. I’m pleased to see this continued support for our airports as they ramp up services to meet the increasing demands of air travel as our country continues on the path to recovery.”
In April, the program awarded more than $30 million to more than 60 airports.
Portman was part of the bipartisan 908 Coalition, which proposed a $908 billion package that included this critical relief for airports. Other members included Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Angus King (I-ME), Joe Manchin (D-WV), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Tom Reed (R-NY), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Mark Warner (D-VA).