WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Waco Regional Airport is applying for a federal grant that could bring up to $1 million in funding to help attract a new airline and expand destinations for Central Texas travelers.
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The airport currently has one airline, one destination and only a couple of daily flights — all to Dallas-Fort Worth. Airport Manager James Harris said the limited service creates reliability problems for passengers.
"With the limited options that we have, a lot of the concern comes around with reliability. We only go to Dallas right now, and when Dallas has weather, we're always the first route to get cut," Harris said.
Harris said he recognized the need for growth shortly after taking the job.
"A year ago when I got here, I saw how much the city was expanding and I saw the airport wasn't keeping up with the expansion of the city, so part of my goal here is to catch up to the city and keep up with the demand and the love of Waco," Harris said.
The airport is applying for the Small Community Air Service Development Program grant through the FAA. The program provides funding to support development, marketing and other strategies at smaller airports to expand commercial air service options. If awarded, the grant would provide up to $1 million in federal funding and require a $1 million local match.
Harris said the airport's location makes it well-positioned to compete for new airline service.
"This place has a lot of potential, especially with our proximity to DFW and Austin. You've got a lot of big companies going into both those airports, and we're looking to take a little bit of some of that," Harris said.
Harris said the airport already has the infrastructure in place to support a second airline.
"So we're already ready for an additional airline. We have 2 airline offices. We have 2 jet bridges, and our seating capacity in the secure area is enough to handle 2 regional jets at once," Harris said.
Waco is not alone in its efforts to expand air service in the region. The Killeen City Council is also considering plans to bring a new airline to the Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport, which is similarly limited to flights to and from Dallas Fort Worth.
"In February of 2021, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the Killeen Regional Airport a Small Community Air Service Development Program Grant in the amount of $1,000,000.00 to fund a Minimum Revenue Guarantee as a part of a broader effort to increase air service options in the Killeen area. The City of Killeen and our partners added another $310,000 for the local grant match requirement.
In the current air service environment, the current grant amount is not sufficient to remain competitive. The City Council recently authorized the Aviation Department to offer up to an additional $750,000 per year over a three-year period.
A new airline would benefit the community in at least four ways. It would provide another airline option and provide additional connectivity for our customers. Secondly, additional competition could result in lower fares. Third, a new airline could provide at least 15 to 20 jobs at start-up, and possibly more as they add frequency. And lastly, the City of Killeen Aviation Department does not receive funds from the City’s General Fund and operates almost exclusively from the revenues we generate. A new airline would provide an additional revenue source for the airport to ensure that we continue to provide first class service in the central Texas area.
We do not currently have any commitments; however, we are having strong discussions with several airlines.”
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