S1046-118

What This Bill Does

The Small Airport Regulation Relief Act of 2023 allows smaller regional airports to receive federal funding based on their pre-pandemic passenger numbers rather than their reduced current numbers. Specifically, for fiscal years 2024-2026, airports can use their highest passenger count from 2019, 2020, or 2021 to calculate their Airport Improvement Program funding.

Who Benefits and How

• Small regional airports (those that dropped below 10,000 annual passengers during COVID but had 10,000+ in 2019) benefit by receiving higher federal funding based on their historical peak rather than their reduced current traffic
• Airport sponsors (typically local governments or airport authorities) benefit from more stable, predictable funding to maintain operations and infrastructure
• Rural communities served by these small airports benefit from continued air service and airport maintenance that might otherwise be cut due to reduced funding

Who Bears the Burden and How

• Federal government/taxpayers bear the cost of providing higher Airport Improvement Program allocations than current passenger levels would normally warrant
• No new taxes or fees are imposed; this reallocates existing program funds more favorably to small airports

Key Provisions

• Amends Section 47114(c)(1) of title 49, United States Code (Airport Improvement Program apportionments)
• Creates a special rule for fiscal years 2024, 2025, and 2026
• Allows airports to use passenger boarding data from 2019, 2020, or 2021 (whichever was highest)
• Only applies to airports that: (1) currently have fewer than 10,000 annual passenger boardings, and (2) had 10,000 or more passenger boardings in calendar year 2019
• The Secretary of Transportation implements the adjusted apportionments