News

Flock of relief flights to AVL triggers limit on general aviation landings

By Lightning Reports, Published: October 2, 2024

The "remarkable generosity" of general aviation pilots delivering relief cargo to Asheville Regional Airport forced the airport to limit such flights to those with prior FEMA clearance, AVL announced Wednesday.

"The remarkable generosity of general aviation pilots arriving at the airport to deliver supplies for our community, while so appreciated, is greatly impacting airfield operations and flight logistics for the larger, coordinated relief efforts underway at AVL," a statement said.

AVL is serving as the gateway for coordinated flights carrying large-scale quantities of supplies, which are then distributed throughout the region by federal, state and local emergency agencies. AVL emphasized that it is not a distribution center, but rather a receiving point for these coordinated supply efforts.

Commercial air traffic remains unaffected, and passengers should check with their airline for flight status prior to arriving at the airport.