PORT ANGELES — Port of Port Angeles commissioners say they may have to reassess the extent the Port can subsidize operations at William R. Fairchild International Airport after the Port failed to get a $500,000 federal airport grant.
In March, Port officials estimated the subsidy to the airport in Port Angeles was $187,000 for 2004.
The two-year Small Community Air Service grant would have funded marketing efforts in both the Seattle and Port Angeles by San Juan Airlines and Kenmore Air Express, said Jeff Robb, the airport’s manager.
San Juan and Kenmore both offer daily roundtrip service between Port Angeles and Boeing Field in Seattle, with free ground shuttles to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to meet connecting flights.
They replaced Horizon Airlines, which stopped flying between Port Angeles and Sea-Tac Airport on Jan. 6.
Robb said Walla Walla was the only Washington community to receive a federal air service grant this year.
It will use its $250,000 grant to expand current service from four daily flights to six, he said.
A total of 108 grant requests from 39 states totaling $61 million were received, Robb said.
He said only 40 grants to 30 states totaling $19.8 million were awarded.
