Rep. Pappas calls on U.S. Department of Transportation to Protect Manchester-Boston Regional Airport and Other Regional Airports Hit Hard by the Coronavirus

MANCHESTER, NH - Today, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, led a number of his colleagues in urging the Department of Transportation and the Department of the Treasury to take action to protect Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) and other regional airports as the coronavirus pandemic continues to cause massive flight cancelations and other disruptions to the nation's commercial aviation system.

In a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Pappas urged the administration to condition the receipt of U.S. Treasury funding to major airlines on the continuation of flights at Manchester and other regional airports. Under the plan that is currently being considered, carriers would be allowed to consolidate service to the detriment of smaller airports like Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.

"Our airport in Manchester is a major employer for our region and a significant economic driver for our state," said Congressman Pappas. "This pandemic is disrupting operations and threatens the long-term progress that was underway at MHT. To ensure the viability of our airport and other regional airports, we need the Department of Transportation and Department of the Treasury to take immediate action and tell the airlines that they won't be able to receive billions in taxpayer dollars unless they commit to continuing flights at smaller airports. The health of MHT, the strength of our business climate, and livelihoods of thousands of Granite State workers is at stake."

The full text of the letter can be read here and below.

Dear Secretary Mnuchin and Secretary Chao:

As air carriers apply to receive loans through the new Treasury lending program authorized in the CARES Act (P.L. 116-136) we urge you to ensure that the needs of all airports are considered.

We thank you both for your efforts to quickly implement these provisions and ensure that the jobs airlines provide are protected. As you know the Department of Transportation has interpreted Section 4005, requiring continuation of air service, to allow larger hub airports to serve as points of service for surrounding airports.

Although the final order might allow for consolidation at these larger hub airports, we urge you to consider the needs of our smaller airports when approving applications and ensure that air carriers are fulfilling the minimum needs of all airports. We know from experience after other major disruptions that it can take an extended period for flights to return to these airports once the economy begins to recover. Our communities cannot afford to wait that long for this service. It is vital that our communities do not lose access to our national airspace system, because this access is part of what enables our local businesses and residents to thrive in the national and international economy.

We urge you to use your considerable discretion under the law to ensure that air carriers applying for these loans maintain service to our regional airports and that they do not use this difficult situation to abandon these vital economic drivers in our communities.

Sincerely,

Chris Pappas
Member of Congress