The four-year, $63.4 billion Federal Aviation Funding bill President Obama signed into law Feb. 14 will include $6 million for Hawaii airports.
Rep. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) said the money will go to the Aloha State’s Airport Improvement Program. It will also help fund the air subsidy for Kalaupapa residents on the island of Molokai, offseting the cost of very expensive flights from the small airport on the peninsula to elsewhere in the state. (Kalaupapa residents
are Hansen's Disease patients, and most are seniors.)
“As our nation’s only island state, Hawaii stands to benefit from this new law’s support of our local airports,” Hirono said. “Hawaii can expect an estimated $6 million more a year to help our airports make critical improvements, resulting in safer airports and more jobs.”