FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — Commercial flights may be coming back to an airport in the Four Corners region.
Officials said Tuesday commercial flights will likely return to the Four Corners Regional Airport by next summer after construction is finished on a runway upgrade, the Farmington Daily Times reports .
The announcement comes after construction began in September. The upgrades will permit the airport to move to a higher classification that will allow larger planes to land and depart.
The city of Farmington received a $3.45 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration for the project, which includes repainting the airfield and fog sealing to extend the runway's life.
Farmington City Manager Rob Mayes said the upgrades will benefit communities around Farmington and Durango, Colorado. "These runway enhancements will bring the Farmington-Four Corners Airport back into regional relevance by facilitating the return of scheduled jet airline service," Mayes said.
The airport has not had commercial flights since Great Lakes Aviation left in fall 2017.
Great Lakes Aviation had flights from Farmington to Denver and Los Angeles.
The city of Farmington has been in negotiations with a commercial airline to bring flights back to the airport once the upgrades are complete. The Four Corners Regional Airport received an $850,000 Small Community Air Service Development Grant, which will help pay for marketing and assist with the return of air service to the airport.
Airport Manager Mike Lewis said the city is in discussions with SkyWest Airlines about bringing air service back and will begin marketing once a date is chosen for air service to return.
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Information from: The Daily Times, http://www.daily-times.com