Cape Girardeau Airport gets additional funding despite missing benchmark

The Cape Girardeau Regional Airport will get $1 million in federal funding despite falling short of the required benchmark.

The airport registered 8,132 enplanements in 2022, clearing the 8,000 mark qualifying Cape Girardeau for $600,000 in federal funding. Airport manager Katrina Amos said the Federal Aviation Administration has elected to give the airport an additional $400,000 in federal funding — the amount for reaching 10,000 enplanements -- because of the airport's prior history. Essentially, the FAA found that Cape Girardeau would have hit the 10,000 enplanement goal if it weren't for the pandemic.

In 2019, Cape Girardeau had nearly 12,000 enplanements.

"It's important for our airport, for the continued investment in the infrastructure," Amos said of the additional funding. "I'm thrilled that we'll be able to have additional dollars put forward toward future projects."

The airport manager said there are taxiways and runways at the airport that need repairs.