ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando International Airport has been allocated $41.6 million in federal coronavirus relief dollars, according to a news release.
The announcement follows the Federal Aviation Administration’s release of a breakdown of a new financial assistance package for U.S. airports.
Recommended Videos
U.S. Department of Transportation officials said the money is part of $2 billion in grants allocated under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act, which aims to provide financial assistance to the nation’s airports that have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
[TRENDING: Your funniest Valentine’s Day stories | Big snake: 16-foot python caught in Fla. | Video: Mom tackles accused peeper]
“President Biden has made it a priority to deliver immediate relief to our transportation sectors and their workers, ensuring they can continue to provide essential services through this pandemic and beyond,” U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg said. “Today’s announcement is one of many steps we are taking to protect the health of America’s travelers and workers, while keeping our nation’s airport operations and related small businesses up and running.”
According to the release, airports can use their allocated funds “to prevent, prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, including relief from rent and minimum annual guarantees (MAG) for eligible airport concessions at primary airports.”
The funds will come from the U.S. Treasury’s General Fund, according to airport officials, and the FAA’s Office of Airports will administer the grant money to airport sponsors.
Orlando International Airport’s $41.6 million will be broken down as follows, according to the release:
- $28.7 million in primary entitlements, cargo entitlements and enplanements allocation
- $7.6 million in unallocated funds from the CARES Act
- $5.3 million in concessions relief
“The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority wishes to thank Congress, the Administration and the FAA for the funds provided under the recently enacted Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program,” said Phil Brown, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority CEO. “We look forward to working with the agency and our concession partners in order to distribute the allocation.”
Airports have until June 30 to apply for the grants, according to the release.
Use the form below to sign up for the ClickOrlando.com 4pm Trending newsletter, sent every weekday.