I got to the bottom of why some smaller airports got bonanzas from the CARES Act.

It's partly because the formula was designed to favor them (after a rushed process in which Senate GOP formula won out)

And it's partly because Congress told the FAA to divide by zero

Because of the way FAA handled that impossible mathematical calculation, 56 airports got $17.56 million each for the sole reason that they had zero debt, and some level of cash reserves (in one case, literally $200). That calculation did not include size or any other factor.

FAA is now saying that airports will only get, at first, initial grants of 4 years operating expenses at most. Still a lot, but not what was touted in press releases by the agency and members of Congress.

More for @POLITICOPro subscribers:

https://subscriber.politicopro.com/article/2020/04/faa-scrambling-to-fix-congress-faulty-airport-stimulus-grant-math-1923103