Airport flying high

Mammoth Car Rental “Hertz” so good

Mammoth Lakes Airport Commissioner Deb Pierrel, speaking for the Commission, announced on Friday that Mammoth–Yosemite Airport (MMH) has won the FAA’s Western-Pacific Regional Airport Safety Award. In a press release, Pierrel said staff will attend the FAA Western-Pacific Region 6th Annual Airport Conference next week in Los Angeles at which time the award will be presented. “It is an honor, and big congratulations are due to the airport, its support entities and staff,” Pierrel commented.

MMH hit its much-anticipated target of 10,000 annual enplanements in April, which Pierrel said was due in no small amount to “the support of our local Inyo and Mono county residents, as well as our visitors.” The accomplishment means that by year’s end, the Federal Aviation Administration will release the promised $1 million the airport borrowed from the Town of Mammoth Lakes General Fund to use on capital improvements to ready the facility for commercial flights with Horizon Air that began in 2008. In addition, the airport terminal building now has air conditioning installed and ready for the summer air service.

The Commission also announced that, per its request, Mammoth Car Rental has now been accepted as the Hertz Franchise for Mammoth Lakes and Bishop, to supply rental cars with local operators. The Commission thinks this will allow us to be best serve our guests’ needs,” Pierrel said. Along with Enterprise, adding Hertz vehicles means the airport now sports two of the top three national brands, which Pierrel called “another big coup for MMH.” –Press Release/Sheet Staff