"Augusta, Georgia airport getting air service development money"

Thursday, June 27, 2002

Airport getting federal money 
Grant to attract direct flights to Chicago, Washington
By Vicky Eckenrode 
The Augusta (GA) Chronicle


Augusta Regional Airport will receive a $759,004 grant from the federal
government to help develop air service, the U.S. Department of
Transportation announced Wednesday.
 
The DOT selected 40 airports out of the 179 that applied for the
one-time grants totaling $20 million to help regional airports.

"This is it for this year," DOT spokesman Bill Mosley said about the
number of proposals the department approved.

According to Augusta Regional's proposal, which was submitted in April,
the airport intends to use the money to help attract two new air
carriers for direct flights to Newark, N.J., Washington and Chicago.

"This is absolutely fantastic that we got what we asked for," airport
spokeswoman Kathryn Solee said. "The sweetest part is that Augusta is
the only city in the country designated as an air service development
zone."

Mr. Mosley said the designation meant government agencies, including the
DOT, would work with the airport and monitor its efforts to attract new
air service.

Although airports in Albany, Columbus, Macon and Savannah submitted
applications to the program, Augusta was the only city in Georgia
awarded money Wednesday.

In choosing the 40 airports for the Small Community Air Service
Development Pilot Program, the DOT looked at cities with high airfares.

Airport officials also had to show local support through matching
airport and private funds, which totaled about $1.4 million in the
application.

Part of that money includes incentives the airport has already offered
to prospective airlines, such as Continental and United. The airport
included $566,000 raised in travel pledges from the community for use on
Continental if the airline decides to start service.

The DOT's grant was created in the Aviation Investment and Reform Act
for the 21st Century, signed into law in April 2000. Although the act
authorized funding $20 million for fiscal year 2001, Congress did not
appropriate money for the program until this year.

The act also authorizes another round of $27.5 million in grants for
next year. But Congress must still appropriate that money.

"This grant will help the Augusta-Aiken area address its air service
needs," Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta stated in the grant
announcement. "We will monitor this program and use the results to
better assist other communities in the future."


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