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Federal grant to help expand service at Toledo airport

Federal grant to help expand service at Toledo airport

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – More than $1 million is going to the Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport thanks to new federal funding.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, awarded the money through the Small Community Air Service Development Program, according to Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur’s office.

The funding provides a revenue guarantee to the airport, which is overseen by the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, and is intended to help acquire, launch and support new services to a major hub. The money will allow the port authority and leadership to strike deals with new service providers to bring service back to major hubs and allow connecting flights to destinations around the world, Kaptur’s office said in a news release.

Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority President and CEO Thomas Winston said he is grateful for the grant to expand and improve air service.

“This funding will provide us with additional resources to provide new routes out of TOL, ultimately making air travel more accessible for Northwest Ohio residents,” Winston said. “We are excited about what this means for the future of additional air service outside of Toledo’s local airport.”

Congressman Kaptur pressed for funding July letter He told the transportation department that agencies were working to expand air service, but the pandemic and subsequent workforce issues created a “significant” loss of commercial service.

Kaptur’s letter reads in part: “As the airport works to rebuild, restore and expand capacity, federal support is vital in its efforts.” “Toledo Express Airport’s leadership is committed to improving and expanding airline service and has worked tirelessly with carriers to restore and expand service after the pandemic.”

Kaptur said Thursday that the money will help improve passenger services to and from the airport.

“As we face the unprecedented challenges facing our aviation community, this award will provide much-needed support to strengthen commercial air service for residents of Northwest Ohio and our surrounding region,” said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur. “Expanding commercial service to Toledo Express Airport is one of my top priorities after updated congressional districts brought it back to OH-09. We are now one step closer to making this dream a reality. We are working with the Port Authority of Toledo-Lucas County to increase our region’s economic competitiveness.” I look forward to continued conversations and partnerships.”

The congressman’s office noted that he received a similar grant in 2011 that brought air service between Charlotte and Chicago. The airport was within his congressional district from 1983 to 2013, until district lines were redrawn. Service to Charlotte and Chicago is discontinued in 2022 due to different representation, his office said. Another change to political maps brought the airport back to the district in 2023.

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