"Panama City gets Small Community Air Service grant; Okaloosa does not"

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Airport gets $575,000 to entice low cost carrier
By S. Brady Calhoun
The Panama City (FL) News Herald


PANAMA CITY - The Panama City-Bay County International Airport will get
$575,000 federal grant to bring in a low cost carrier and help current
airlines expand their service. 

The federal money will be matched with $430,000 in cash and in-kind
contributions from the local business community. According to federal
guidelines the funds can be used for marketing, research and subsidies to
carriers. 

"The ultimate intent is improvement in airline service," said Randy Curtis,
the executive director of the airport. 

Currently, the airport has only two carriers Atlantic Southeast Airlines and
Northwest Airlines. 

The airport had asked for $1 million in their grant application, Curtis
said. However, the Panama City airport was the only one in Florida to
receive funds from this grant program. The U.S. Department of Transportation
administers the program. 

About 75 other airports applied for grant money from the $10 million pot,
DOT officials said. Last year, the department awarded 25 grants totaling
about $9.7 million. 

The grant is "great for the community," said Carol Roberts, the CEO and
president of the Bay County Chamber of Commerce. 

If the airport is able to bring in another carrier "it will force others to
become competitive too," she added.

 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dcfp/dcboard.php


*****************************************