WA Airports To Receive $310 Mil For Coronavirus Relief

SEATTLE, WA — Airports across Washington are set to receive a total of $310 million in federal aid to help keep the airports afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The money was set aside as part of the CARES Act, providing Washington with exactly $31,329,000 in grant funding to support the states 138 public airports. The largest grants will go to:

• Sea-Tac: $192.133 million
• Bellingham International: $5.015 million
• Port of Friday Harboe: $1.055 million
• Orcas Island Airport: $1.041 million
• Paine Field $157,000

Airports like Sea-Tac have been struggling with reduced customer loads as many states shelter-in-place to wait out the coronavirus outbreak. To compensate, the Port of Seattle has had to suspend 20 of their current construction projects and provide rent relief to their business. Airports have also been banned from accepting passengers from China, Iran and much of Europe in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus. Lawmakers behind the CARES act say these grants will help recoup some of the money lost on the epidemic.

Washington Representative and chair of the House Aviation Subcommittee Rick Larsen issued a statement celebrating the announcement:

“Aviation means jobs in Washington state. In Northwest Washington, airports are critical economic drivers that connect Washingtonians and local businesses to communities and markets across the country and the world, T.is emergency grant funding will help ensure airports across the state can continue to maintain operations and support the aviation workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic."

Nationwide, the CARES act is providing roughly $10 billion to airports across the country. A complete map of all the airports receiving grants on the west coast can be found here.