WARWICK – Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport has been awarded a $14.8 million federal grant that can be broadly used to boost airport operations.
“The Rhode Island Airport Corp. is extremely grateful for the hard work of Sen. Jack Reed and our congressional delegation in securing American Rescue Plan Act funding for Rhode Island’s public airports,” said Iftikhar Ahmad, CEO and president of the Rhode Island Airport Corp., which manages the state’s airports.
“These investments help make Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport more attractive to airlines which help support over 19,000 jobs and $2.6 billion in state economic activity,” he added in a statement released Thursday by the state’s congressional delegation.
The funding, part of $8 billion being awarded to airports nationally, can be used for operations, personnel, cleaning, sanitization, janitorial services, debt service payments, and to combat the spread of pathogens at the airport.
“Airports were hit hard by the pandemic and these funds will help sustain them financially and keep the traveling public safe,” said Sen. Reed, a senior member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development and Related Agencies. “This is flexible funding that can be used broadly to help the airport return to pre-pandemic levels of service.”
RIAC on Nov. 17 also announced that Delta Air Lines will begin flights from T.F. Green to New York/LaGuardia Airport in New York City beginning Jan. 5.
