In the News

U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright Monday said now more than ever, our airports need our support as more Americans start to feel more comfortable with air travel again.

“We need our airports to be well-equipped to keep travelers and staff members safe,” said Cartwright, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “AVP is essential to our local economy and welcomes passengers from throughout the region as they travel across the country and beyond.”

Cartwright, D-Moosic, announced that the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport received $2,380,828 from the government funding and coronavirus relief package enacted in December 2020.

Administered by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the grant provides funding for costs related to operations, personnel, cleaning, sanitation, janitorial services and combating the spread of pathogens at the airport.

“Carl Beardsley and the entire AVP team have worked hard to respond to changing needs during the pandemic, and I am proud to support the funding our airport needs to continue to thrive,” Cartwright said.

Beardsley said he and the airport staff and board greatly appreciate the support received from Cartwright and other elected officials who recognize the importance of the airport to the region.

Beardsley, the airport’s Executive Director, said, “We’ll be good stewards of these funds, which will help us to advance efforts that will improve passenger convenience, allow for more touchless interactions, create greater terminal efficiency and ensure safety in ways that will set AVP apart from others.”

Beardsley said there is a multitude of uses for the funding included in this grant funding program.

“This grant provides economic relief funds for costs related to operations, personnel, concessions, cleaning, sanitization, janitorial services, and combating the spread of pathogens at the airport,” Beardsley said. “With the support of Congressman Cartwright, AVP is looking at ways to improve passenger flow where necessary in the terminal building. The ultimate goal with these improvements is being an easy-on and an easy-off airport.”

Beardsley said most improvements will focus in the area that surrounds the security screening area. As a result, he said this grant funding may be used to fund capital improvements that focus on safety and passenger conveniences.

Cartwright said the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriation Act (CRRSA), passed as part of the government funding omnibus in December 2020, provided nearly $2 billion in economic relief for U.S. airports as they continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the FAA established the Airport Coronavirus Response Grant Program (ACRGP) to distribute the funds to all airports in the national airport system, including commercial service airports, reliever airports and some public-owned general aviation airports.

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport is the only mid-sized airport in the region and it has served as a gateway to Northeastern Pennsylvania for more than 70 years.