"Fresno Awarded $1M Air Service Grant"

Wednesday, September 17, 2003

Fresno Awarded $1M Air Service Grant
Press Release


Fresno, CA - The federal Department of Transportation (DOT) this morning
awarded Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FYI) a $1,000,000 grant for
development of the community air service program.  FYI is one of the 35
communities who received awards of varying amounts from the more than 170
proposals filed with the DOT from cities throughout the nation.

"This is another huge win for Team Fresno.  One of the recommendations
identified at the September 12 Regional Jobs Summit was to pursue a low cost
air service.  This $1,000,000 grant represents the Bush Administration's
continued commitment to Fresno and will play a key role in helping us to
secure a low cost airline," said Mayor Alan Autry.

"The award of this grant represents a strong beginning in Fresno's push for
a low-fare carrier," enthused Noah Lagos, Director of Transportation.  "It
reflects the government's faith in FYI's air service development program, as
well as the lobbying efforts by Mayor Autry in Washington, D.C. on Fresno's
behalf." The grant requires community match funding of $100,000 and names
Frontier Airlines service to Denver.  Although negotiations must still take
place with the airline, "it will now be up to the community to show its
support for new service by providing a 10% match to the $1m award," Lagos
added.

This is the second year that the federal government has funded the pilot
program for small community air service development. The $1million in grant
funding that FYI will receive is part of  $20 million appropriated in FY2003
by Congress under the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act,
known as AIR-21. This program, designed to help smaller communities enhance
air service, awarded $20 million last year to 40 communities in 37 states.

FYI currently has seven airlines serving major hubs throughout the west and
mid-west. Information is available on the web site at www.flyfresno.com or
by phone toll-free at 800-244-2FLY.


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