LOS ANGELES — Southern California airports will share in hundreds of millions of dollars in government aid to help respond to plunging demand created by the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Federal Aviation Administration announced Tuesday.
The airport receiving the most funding in the state is Los Angeles International Airport with $323.6 million; John Wayne Airport-Orange County will receive $44.9 million; Hollywood Burbank Airport will receive nearly $21.1 million; and Long Beach Airport will receive $18.4 million.
Van Nuys Airport will receive $157,000, while airports in Santa Monica, El Monte (San Gabriel Valley), Hawthorne, La Verne (Brackett), Torrance (Zamperini), Fullerton and Pacoima (Whiteman) will each receive $69,000. Compton/Woodley Airport was awarded $30,000.
In Riverside County, Riverside Municipal and French Valley airports will each receive $69,000 March Air Reserve Base will receive $157,000, Palm Springs International will receive $11 million; Jacqueline Cochran Regional will receive $69,000; and Banning Municipal, Hemet-Ryan and Corona Municipal will each receive $30,000.
In San Bernardino County, Ontario International Airport will receive $22.184 million, the Chino Airport will receive $157,000, San Bernardino International Airport and Cable Airport in Upland will each receive $69,000, Redlands Municipal and Big Bear City airports will each receive $30,000, Twentynine Palms Airport will receive $20,000 and the Southern California Logistics Airport in Victorville will receive $157,000.
The funding is part of the Trump administration’s newly created Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act Airport Grant Program. U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said the FAA will award $10 billion to the nation’s airports, with about $1 billion going to 188 airports in California.
“This $10 billion in emergency resources will help fund the continued operations of our nation’s airports during this crisis and save workers’ jobs,” she said.
The funding will support continuing operations and replace lost revenue resulting from the sharp decline in passenger traffic and other airport business due to the COVID-19 public health emergency. The funds are available for airport capital expenditures, airport operating expenses including payroll and utilities, and airport debt payments.
“Thank you to the dedicated men and women from the FAA’s Office of Airports for creating an entirely new program in record time to assist airport sponsors in desperate need of these funds,” FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said.
The Los Angeles Daily News contributed to this story.
###