KILLEEN / COLLEGE STATION, Texas / Washington, DC – Representative John Carter (TX-31), Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and John Cornyn (R-TX), and Representatives Pete Sessions (TX-17) and Roger Williams (TX-25) sent a letter to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of United Airlines, Scott Kirby, to address United’s decision to stop service out of Killeen-Fort Hood Regional Airport and Easterwood Field Airport in College Station.

United Airlines released a statement saying they would no longer be servicing out of Killeen or College Station beginning January 3. This comes after Congress passed $2.2 trillion in CARES Act coronavirus relief funding, which granted United Airlines over $10 billion in Payroll Support Program (PSP) loans.

In the letter they wrote:

“Despite current demand for air travel in the College Station and Killeen markets, and the prospect for sustained growth, United has decided to end air service to two cities which collectively represent the nation’s largest active-duty armored post and a university that is one of the largest suppliers of military leaders for the U.S. Armed Forces as well as a critical partner in research and innovation affecting national security and national defense.

“We believe United’s decision will have a negative impact on America’s national security. Additionally, because the intent of PSP was to enable passenger air carriers to resume their pre-pandemic operations and to ensure employees would not be laid off, your decision appears to violate the spirit if not the letter of the law as well as the promises your industry made to Congress when it came begging for Federal assistance.”

You can read the full letter here.