By Ashley Ahearn
The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded the Pangborn Memorial Airport in Wenatchee a grant for $750,000 to support a new flight to the Bay Area within the next year.
More than 90 individuals and businesses in four surrounding counties pledged more than $400,000 in funds to match the grant, which Pangborn officials say was a key factor for the USDOT in choosing to award the grant.
Pangborn received strong support from Federal elected officials including Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, and Congressmen Dave Reichert and Dan Newhouse.
“Now the hard work begins, as we make the business case to prospective airlines, working to convince them Wenatchee is the best place for their limited aircraft,” said Trent Moyers, Director of Pangborn Memorial Airport.
SkyWest airlines wrote a letter of support for the grant application but as of yet, no deal has been inked with that company or any other. The airline selected will invest roughly $8 million to start daily jet service to the Bay Area over a two-year period.
That risk will be mitigated by the federal grant and matching funds pledged by businesses and individuals from the surrounding counties and California.
