ALPENA — The Alpena County Regional Airport depends on an essential air service subsidy from the federal government to offer commercial flights, and U.S. Sen. Gary Peters is fighting to make sure the program remains in place.
Last week, Michael Whitaker, President Joe Biden’s nominee for administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, was questioned during a confirmation hearing, and Peters stressed the importance of rural airports.
Peters also advocated for policies that hold accountable airlines that renege on a contract.
Alpena County utilizes essential air service funding to pay for its contract with SkyWest Airlines, which provides daily flights to and from Detroit.
The U.S. Department of Transportation pays SkyWest $5.5 million annually to provide flights, and the contract, which was signed in summer 2022, is in its final year. Next year, the Transportation Department will begin accepting bids for service at the airport in Alpena.
Peters said in a statement to The News that the essential air service program is likely more important to people who live in Michigan than other parts of the nation. He said that, if the program and funding were to fall victim to budget cuts, thousands of people in Northeast Michigan would have to travel many miles to another airport for a flight.
“Alpena County Regional Airport is one of nine rural airports across Michigan that are served by the Essential Air Service program, which is the most of any state in the lower 48 states,” Peters said in the statement. “When our rural airports have accessible and reliable air service, our communities and businesses have more opportunities to thrive. We must take steps to prevent any potential lapses in service for these communities, and that’s why I am pushing for legislation that would make it harder for airlines to terminate their contracts with rural airports early and empower the Department of Transportation to penalize airlines that abandon airports serviced by EAS.”
In his response to Peters’ remarks, Whitaker said that, if he confirmed as the new FAA administrator, he will continue to support small, rural airports.
“I believe that the EAS program and our network of smaller airports is really key to our system, and I will work with you to support the appropriate safety mechanisms and infrastructure in those airports and then work with DOT on administering that program,” he said.
Since SkyWest has taken over air service in Alpena, the number of people flying into and out of the city has consistently eclipsed 10,000. Each time that goal is met, the airport receives a $1 million subsidy to be used for equipment and operations.
This year, a months-long runway renovation project put the airport behind the eight ball, and it will struggle to reach the 10,000-enplanement mark. SkyWest didn’t provide service from May until mid-July while the main runway was closed.
Through the end of September, the airport saw 4,608 paid passengers, well below the 9,699 seen during the same time period in 2022.
Airport Manager Steve Smigelski said that, as the end of the calendar year nears, if it becomes clear the 10,000-enplanement goal is not achievable, he will apply for a waiver with the FAA, which would allow the airport to still receive its $1 million.
The runway project had a $45 million price tag on it, but the county paid only $13 million of that amount, using most of the $18 million it received through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act in 2020. The balance of the $45 million was covered by the federal government.