Two airlines make proposals for Ogdensburg International Airport’s EAS contract | St.Lawrence County

He expects the board to go over the two proposals “in the coming days, next week, when we can get together for a Facilities Committee meeting to review it.”

“I need the board’s input,” Mr. Lawrence said. “We’ll see if they’re what we’re looking for.”

San Francisco-based Boutique Air is the Essential Air Service carrier at Massena International Airport. They’re offering two options. Both would shuttle 14,976 scheduled seats on a total of 1,872 scheduled flights per year on pressurized twin-propeller Pilatus PC-12 airplanes that seat eight or nine passengers. Boutique is offering a two-year contract or four years.

The first option for destinations is 18 weekly non-stop round-trip flights, 11 to Boston Logan International Airport and seven to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. For that service, Boutique would seek a $4,934,628 subsidy in year one and $5,033,320 in year two.

Boutique’s second destination option is also for 18 weekly flights, 11 to Westchester County Airport and seven to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. For this option, the company would seek $4,958,913 in first-year subsidies and $5,058,091 in the second year.

The proposal says service would begin 60 to 90 days after the US Department of Transportation issues the order selecting Boutique Air as the EAS carrier.

“Boutique air will start service as early as operationally possible,” the proposal reads.

Based out of Rome, Air Charter Express is offering 12 weekly round-trip flights, two daily, between Ogdensburg and Albany International Airport. The proposal says the company would also consider adding Syracuse Hancock International Airport as a scheduled route. It also says the airline will use nine-seat twin-propeller Piper Navajo Chieftan airplanes, with plans to upgrade to turboprop aircraft this year.

Air Charter’s proposal is for 1,248 annual scheduled flights with 11,232 scheduled seats. It would seek a $1,622,400 subsidy in the first year and $1,703,520 in year two.

Ogdensburg’s current EAS airline, SkyWest, announced in January that it would cease EAS operations at the Ogdensburg International Airport and the Plattsburgh International Airport by mid-April. The DOT has required the airline to stay until a new EAS carrier is in place. SkyWest issued a statement at the time saying staffing challenges generated by a surge in COVID-19 cases is the reason for departing Ogdensburg.

The EAS program was developed after the airline industry was deregulated in 1978. The EAS program was put into place to guarantee air service to underserved communities. EAS subsidizes commuter airlines across the country to serve approximately 140 rural communities, including six communities in upstate New York: Watertown, Jamestown, Massena, Ogdensburg, Plattsburgh and Saranac Lake/Lake Placid.