New grant from U.S. Dept. of Transportation could reopen Arnold Palmer Regional Airport

Service could soon begin at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport thanks to a new grant from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation. 

On Friday, the Westmoreland County Airport Authority announced that the airport had been awarded an $850,000 Small Community Air Service Development grant. 

"Now that we have the grant in place, the next step is to start negotiating to bring air service back to Arnold Palmer Regional Airport," authority Executive Director Maurice Haas said.

Earlier this year, service stopped in Westmoreland County when Spirit Airlines folded in May. 

Prior to Spirit Airlines shutting down, Arnold Palmer Regional Airport had been working to get a different airline to fly out of Unity Township. 

"We knew that there could be a chance that this could be happening," Haas said at the time. "That's why we've been actively pursuing other airlines, even before Spirit made the announcement that they were ceasing operations."

Spirit had been flying out of Arnold Palmer Regional Airport since February 2011. When it shuttered, it was the only airline flying out of the airport. That left the airport with no commercial service. 

The new grant, according to the Westmoreland County Airport Authority, will be used to provide revenue guarantees and marketing for low-cost service to places such as Myrtle Beach and Florida. 

"We've got the bait; now it's time to go fishing," said Gabe Monzo, the longtime executive of the airport authority, who has since retired.