A STRICT dealine of 90 days has been issued by the TSA to an airport that could face having closing down.
This is unless it can find a new airline to bring in commercial flights as the last one stopped earlier in the month.
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Time is running out
Salem Municipal Airport has been given the deadline of November 10 to bring in more air traffic.
It comes after Avelo Airlines – the only airline offering commercial flights at the airport – ended services.
The countdown has therefore begun for Salem before the TSA pull its screening equipment from the airport.
Without screening devices and staff, the airport would be unable to serve commercial passengers at all.
Economic struggles
The warning came as Salem City Council received a financial update on the future of the airport.
The city’s assistat public works director, Mark Becktel, told councilors: “With a minimal amount of commercial air service, essentially similar to what we had with Avelo and Avelo was a minimal amount, our airport fund would still be heading in the wrong direction as you go through the five-year forecast.”
He outlined concerns about money losses for the airport, even if a new deal could be reached with a new airline.
Mr Becktell added: “By fiscal year 27 we would have a pretty much an insufficient ending fund balance, and we would have a negative ending fund balance in the last three years of the forecast.”
The city is still actively searching for a new airline to step in, but no deals have been confirmed yet.
No more commercial flights
The removal of Avelo Airlines from the city followed weeks of public testimony, protests and letters against the company.
There was a push from the public for the Salem City Council to sever ties with the airline which agreed to provide deportation flights for the Department of Homland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency out of Arizona.
CEO and founder of Avelo Airlines, Andrew Levy, explained the decision was made out of providing the company with financial security.
He said: “We realize this is a sensitive and complicated topic.
“After significant deliberations, we determined this charter flying will provide us with the stability to continue expanding our core scheduled passenger service and keep our more than 1,100 Crewmembers employed for years to come.”
The popular budget airline completely pulled out of its West Coast operations earlier this year, citing its financial difficulties.
All routes and flights from the company are set to cease in December.
