The Cortez Municipal Airport has received federal aid to help weather the coronavirus pandemic.
As part of the CARES Act economic relief package, the airport recently received a $633,102 in grant funding from the Federal Aviation Administration, said airport manager Russ Machen.
The funds can be used for operational or maintenance need over the next four years. The money does not have to be paid back, and there was no required match.
“It is a lifeline, revenues for rural airports here and nationwide are way down,” Machen said.
Financial impacts include reduced passenger boardings, car rentals and fuel sales.
Cortez Municipal Airport is under an Essential Air Service federal program that subsidizes commercial flights provided by Boutique Air. The airline provides three daily, round-trip flights to Denver and one to Phoenix.
When the pandemic hit the U.S., federal officials instructed commercial airlines serving EAS airports to continue to fly their regular routes and schedules.
“That was good news. It was done to keep airlines staffed and keep pilots and mechanics working in order to lessen the economic impact,” Machen said.
But passenger numbers in Cortez fell by 60% in March and 80% in April, and planes sometimes flew nearly empty.
The airport relies on a passenger facility charge to cover operation costs and maintenance, and to match grants.
The year started off strong for Cortez Municipal, with 721 passengers boarding in January and 648 in February, a 29% increase the same months in 2019.
But when the pandemic hit, 2020 boardings dropped to 405 in March and 125 in April, compared with 2019 boardings of 661 in March and 656 in April.
Boutique Air’s reliable service has helped to boost passenger service, Machen said.
Based on early months, the airport was on track to reach 10,000 boardings, which would have provided improved grant opportunities for infrastructure projects. The last time it hit that mark was in 2007.
In 2018 and 2019, Cortez Municipal had about 8,000 boardings.
The FAA has an ongoing grant programs for EAS airports, which are separate from the CARE Act aid.
If boardings reach the 10,000 mark, up to $1 million in grant funding is available for projects, Machen said. At the 8,000 passenger mark, $600,000 in grant funding is available, which Cortez Municipal secured the past two years.
They used the grants to finance a $2.1 million project for widening taxiways, improving drainage and wildlife mitigation.
The CARE Act emergency aid will be spent prudently over the next four years, Machen said, with anticipation there could be another “gut punch” to the local economy if the pandemic flares up again.
U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner visited Durango and Cortez Friday to hear about impacts from the pandemic. In Durango, he met with staff at Animas Surgical Center, and in Cortez he met with officials from Dolores State Bank and with Machen.
Machen urged Gardner to advocate for continued FAA grant programs relied on by Essential Air Service airports.
“Small community airports rely on the funding for maintenance and improvements,” he said.
jmimiaga@the-journal.com
