Alaska Airlines usually flies three or four flights daily between Yakima and Seattle. In recent weeks, flights have been down to one or two daily because of cancellations, airport Manager Rob Peterson said.
The airport recently received notice that Alaska will have just one scheduled daily fight to and from Seattle, starting Friday, he said.
The number of passengers has dropped dramatically because of the coronavirus pandemic and a corresponding worldwide drop in air travel. There were 2,894 passengers on Alaska Airlines’ 97 flights departing Yakima to Seattle last month, according to figures released by the Yakima airport Monday. That is a 51.5% drop from the 5,969 passengers who boarded 98 departing flights in March 2019.
In March 2019, planes departing the Yakima Air Terminal were 80% full. Last month, flight loads dropped to 39.3% full as travelers canceled their plans.
Flights from Yakima to Seattle have not been that empty in more than a decade. The previous lowest load during that period was in September 2009 when flights were 47% full. Since fall 2008, Horizon Air, a sister airline that operates the flights, has been flying 76-seat turboprop aircraft.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has also canceled its scheduled flight this week, Peterson said. ICE has been chartering flights from Yakima to transport detained undocumented immigrants for about a year. The flights have been a source of controversy in the community.
The airport has also seen a drop, though not as drastic, in general aviation traffic. In March, there were 3,010 general aviation aircraft operations, which includes takeoffs, approaches and landings. That’s a 21.1% drop from March 2019.
The reduction in commercial air service means fewer landing fees from the airline and facility fees from passengers. The airport has also seen a drop in rental car and parking lot activity, Peterson said.
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Peterson said he does not have concrete figures yet but expects the losses to be significant. “It definitely adds up,” he said.
Federal help
The Yakima airport should receive financial assistance under the CARES Act, the federal coronavirus relief bill. The bill allocates about $10 billion for U.S. airports experiencing economic disruption due to COVID-19.
Offerings include a 100% federal share for its Airport Improvement Program grants, which are given to airports to fund capital improvement projects. Typically, an airport must pay for about 10% of a project funded by the grant.
There is also financial assistance for commercial airports, based on 2018 departure figures and additional funding for facilities deemed as “primary airports” and general aviation airports.
The Yakima airport may be able to secure 100% federal grant funding for its planned runway project, Peterson said. Typically, the airport covers its share with revenues from passenger facility fees.
Peterson said he’s still sorting out details on how the Yakima airport can secure funding through the CARES Act.
“We have various questions to the (Federal Aviation Administration) on how this is going to be divided up,” he said.
Reach Mai Hoang at [email protected] or Twitter @maiphoang
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