Airports cover their operating costs with passenger fees and revenue from shops and restaurants.
But the pandemic slump in travel led Tampa International Airport to cut its budget by about $9 million last year. Food service companies laid off hundreds of workers. That came even though Tampa received about $80 million from the federal CARES Act and more money from the stimulus package approved by Congress just before Christmas.
The Airports Council International-North America says U.S. airports are on track to lose $23 billion by March, as passenger numbers stay below pre-pandemic levels. Additional federal cash could be part of the Biden Administration's economic recovery plan, which will be unveiled in February.
