San Antonio airport getting nearly $40 million in federal funds

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) -With the COVID-19 pandemic grounding travelers across the country, revenues at San Antonio International Airport have plummeted.

Congressman Henry Cuellar has announced $39,708,109 in federal funds are heading this way from the  Airport Improvement Program in the CARES Act.

“This critical funding will ensure our airport can continue to pay their employees, maintain and upgrade their facilities, and protect its passengers until we slow the spread of this coronavirus and get our economy moving again,” said Cuellar.  “I want to thank mayor Ron Nirenberg, City Council members, City Manager  Erik  Walsh, the International Airport Director, Jesus  Saenz, Jr., and the rest of his staff for their dedication to protecting our city’s tourism and transportation industry during these challenging times.”

According to Airports Council International, passenger traffic at U.S. commercial airports is expected to drop by 73 percent from March to June .  That amounts to a 53 percent decrease in the first half of 2020 and a 37 percent drop for the full year compared to forecasted 2020 levels.