News

Jackson, Miss.– May is Aviation Month in the state of Mississippi. In 2011, the Mississippi Legislature established May as Aviation Month to highlight the value of airports and the air transportation industry to the state’s economy.

“Several billions of dollars are generated by Mississippi’s airports every year in direct and indirect economic benefits,” says Mississippi Airports Association President Tom Heanue, Executive Director of Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport. “Our airports are vital contributors when it comes to recruiting industry, creating jobs and enhancing the state’s position in the global marketplace.”

Mississippi is home to 80 airports – 74 public and 6 private, with seven airports offering commercial air service. The most recent economic impact study prepared for the Mississippi Department of Transportation indicated airports and aviation have an economic impact of more than $2.5 billion for the state, including 20,025 well-paying jobs in the state’s aviation sector.

In addition to enhancing business travel, tourism and commercial cargo delivery, airports benefit major state industrial sectors such as agriculture, aerospace manufacturing and oil and gas. They also enhance quality of life through support of emergency services like law enforcement and air ambulance and by supporting military operations and aviation-related education.