SAN ANTONIO – The San Antonio International Airport will receive millions of dollars in federal aid as the coronavirus pandemic has nearly paralyzed the travel industry.
The airport will receive $39,708,109 under the CARES Act that was passed in late March, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Kelly Field will receive $20,000 and the Stinson Municipal Airport will receive $30,000.
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The CARES Act will administer $10 billion in funds to eligible airports affected by the crisis across the country. This funding is awarded under a formula based on metrics like passenger traffic.
“This $10 billion in emergency resources will help fund the continued operations of our nation’s airports during this crisis and save workers’ jobs,” Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao said in a news release.
Funding will support continuing operations and replace lost revenue, a news release from the transportation department states. The funds are available for capital expenditures, operating expenses including payroll and utilities, and debt payments.
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U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-TX 35, said in a news release that the funding will “help shield San Antonio airports from any freefall.”
“This investment allows local airports flexibility to deploy resources as needed. But so much more needs to be done; until we resolve our health care crisis, we cannot resolve our worsening economic crisis," he said.
According to the Associated Press, airline stocks fell Monday on indications that the carriers were not having an easy time getting federal help.
View a list of Texas airports receiving funding on an interactive map, along with funding for all U.S. airports on FAA’s website.
COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new virus, stands for coronavirus disease 2019. The disease first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China, but spread around the world in early 2020, causing the World Health Organization to declare a pandemic in March.
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