ATLANTA – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is awarding $410.8 million in economic stimulus funding to 97 airports across Georgia to help offset the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport will get by far the largest share of the money. At $338.5 million, it’s the largest single allocation in the nation from the $10 billion airport package.
Airports and airlines across the country have been hit with huge financial losses by the virtual shutdown of the U.S. economy to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines Inc., one of Georgia’s largest employers, reported last month that March revenues would decline by almost $2 billion compared to the same month last year.
“This $10 billion in emergency resources will help fund the continued operations of our nation’s airports during this crisis and save workers’ jobs,” U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao said Tuesday.
The federal money will be used to support continuing airport operations and replace lost revenue from the sharp decline in passenger traffic and other airport business resulting from the pandemic. Eligible expenses will include payroll and utility costs, capital expenditures and airport debt payments.
After Hartsfield-Jackson, the next-largest allocation of federal airport stimulus money in Georgia – $26.8 million – will go to Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport. Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field will receive $19.4 million, and Southwest Georgia Regional Airport in Albany will get $18 million.
Much smaller allocations of just more than $1 million will go to several other regional airports around the state. The Columbus airport will receive $1.2 million, Valdosta Regional will get $1.18 million, slightly more than the $1.17 million headed to the Brunswick-Golden Isles Airport. Middle Georgia Regional Airport in Macon will receive $1.06 million.
Four other airports – Briscoe Field in Lawrenceville, McCollum Field in Marietta, Peachtree-DeKalb Airport and Fulton County Airport at Brown Field – each will receive $157,000 from the feds.
The FAA is encouraging airports to spend the money immediately to help offset the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak while those losses are occurring.