The Wilmington-New Castle Airport hits a milestone that not only changes its designation, but it also brings additional federal funding.
The airport surpassed 10,000 commercial flight enplanements or boardings for the year, officially making it a Primary Commercial Service Airport.
Delaware River and Bay Authority Stephen Williams executive director and airport director explains how that designation boosts federal funding.
"When an airport that has commercial service capability and meets all the requirements of being a commercial service airport. When that airport surpasses 10,000 enplaned passengers in a calendar year it becomes eligible for a million-dollar minimum federal entitlement," said Williams.
That funding won’t take effect until the 2023 federal fiscal year, but sets the airport up for more federal funds if annual enplanement numbers rise to 50,000.
The maximum annual funding amount per airport is 26 million dollars.
Williams says this designation is important for the airport.
"Confirms for us what we've felt all along and that the market potential of Wilmington Airport is significant, and it's recognized by the customer response," said Williams. "And so we're really, really happy about being able to hit this important milestone that that defines as a Primary Commercial Service Airport for the first time in about 7 years."
The airport is now one of 385 nationwide that is a Primary Commercial Service Airport.
Frontier Airlines resumed commercial service from the airport to Orlando, Florida in February.
