SALISBURY, MD - Salisbury Airport’s plans for a new airline are currently in a holding pattern as officials attempt to decipher the implications of President Trump’s recent federal funding freezes.
In October of 2024, Salisbury Airport officials announced a U.S. Department of Transportation Small Community Air Service Development (SCASD) grant of $800,000 had been obtained to incentivize a new airline service between Salisbury and Orlando, FL. The federal funds would be used to ensure revenue for the new provider by covering some start-up costs and establishing a marketing plan, among other incentives.
Authorities said an airline operating agreement was being established with an as-of-yet unnamed airline, and Salisbury Airport and Wicomico County officials were hopeful flights to and from Florida could begin as soon as January 2025.
On January 28, however, newly-elected President Donald Trump issued an executive order halting all federal funding pending review, leaving the fate of the $800,000 SCASD grant uncertain.
Though Trump’s funding freeze memo has since been blocked by a federal judge and was rescinded by the federal Office of Management and Budget, the Wicomico County Airport Commission confirmed the SCASD funds have not yet been received and the airline operating agreement is officially on hold, according to the Commission’s agenda for an upcoming meeting on February 10.
“We are still awaiting the grant offer from USDOT for the SCASD grant in the amount of $800,000,” the agenda’s Airport Manager’s Report reads. “We have no information as to how the freeze on federal grant funding will impact this.”
Until that grant funding is in place, the airport manager says the agreement with the new airline has been paused. A formal announcement is expected if and when the funding is finally secured, according to the agenda.
This is a developing story. WBOC will continue to provide updates as they become available.