The U.S. Department of Transportation recently awarded Fairbanks a $900,000 Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP) grant to help improve airline service.
Funding will be used as a revenue guarantee and to market new nonstop service to a new domestic hub.
Fairbanks International Airport and Explore Fairbanks, a nonprofit marketing and management organization, worked together to establish public-private partnerships with local businesses. The partnerships will provide financial resources to supplement federal funding and support air service initiatives.
These partnerships were used on the SCASDP grant application to show local support and community commitment.
“The success in receiving this grant was a great collaborative effort between the Fairbanks International Airport and Explore Fairbanks, as well as numerous stakeholders to include the Greater Fairbanks Chamber of Commerce, local government, the military, and visitor industry businesses,” Scott McCrea, Explore Fairbanks president and CEO, said. “While we appreciate already-existing air service, we look forward to working together to gain options from a new strategic U.S. hub and leveraging that air service to grow visitation in Fairbanks to the benefit of the Fairbanks community and economy.”
Nationwide 14 small communities received nearly $12 million in grants to help develop solutions to local air service needs.