USA. The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Board has taken the first in a series of steps to support its business partners during the COVID-19 crisis by deferring US$17 million in payments due in May.
The move comes against the backdrop of a dramatic fall in passenger traffic, which fell -90% in the period from 28 March to 8 April.
The airport company said: “A key concern during the downturn in the air travel industry is having solvent tenants that can resume normal operations when the health emergency ends. Domestic and international flights in and out of Orlando International Airport have been dramatically impacted because of the global pandemic.
“The significant decrease is directly affecting three key revenue sources for the Aviation Authority: Airlines, In-Terminal Concessionaires and On-Site Rental Car Operators. To provide some financial relief, the Board approved a limited deferral of defined forms of revenue from specific sources for a finite time.”
“It is in our view only the beginning of the discussion in working toward a solution for our airport and our airport partners,” said Greater Orlando Aviation Authority CEO Phil Brown. “This situation is unprecedented and it’s going to have to continue to be reviewed in order to make the best decision. This is just the first step in trying to provide some relief as we move forward.”
Further actions will be presented and considered at upcoming board meetings.
On Tuesday, the US Department of Transportation announced that Orlando International Airport would receive US$170 million from the CARES Act Airport Grant Program. The money is part of a US$10 billion national outlay to 100 US airports to help fund continued operations.
Airports in Florida are scheduled to receive more than US$896 million in aid, led by Miami International at US$207 million.
