BY PAUL MITCHELL
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG – Boutique Air, which currently provides Essential Air Service at the Massena International Airport, and a Rome, N.Y.-based airline have each submitted proposals to the Ogdensburg Bridge & Port Authority to fill the air travel void to soon be left by SkyWest.

SkyWest Airlines in January gave the U.S. Department of Transportation 90 days notice that they are ending service with 50-passenger jets branded as United Express at Ogdensburg International Airport. Covid effects on travel and difficulties maintaining adequate staff are believed to be the reasons Sky West pulled service from Ogdensburg and Plattsburgh.

Boutique’s proposal featured two flight scenarios.

The first option offers 18 non-stop flights per week, 11 flights to Logan International Airport in Boston, Mass. and seven to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. This proposal calls for $4,934,628 in subsidies the first year at $5,033,320 the second year.

The second option also involves 18 flights weekly but changes the 11-flight destination to Westchester County Airport and seven to the Baltimore/Washington area. The subsidies requested are $4,958,913 the first year and $5,058, 091 the second year.

Boutique flies pressurized twin-propeller Pilatus PC-12 airplanes that seat 8 or 9 passengers.

The Air Charter Express proposal will make 12 weekly flights, including two daily flights from Ogdensburg to the Albany International Airport. The proposal adds the airline could also offer air service to Syracuse's Hancock International Airport.

Subsidy requests are $1,622,400 the first year and $1,703,520 the second year.

Air Charter Express flies 9-seat twin-propeller Piper Navajo Chieftan airplanes with plans to switch to a turboprop aircraft this year.

The deadline to file a proposal with the OBPA was Thursday, Feb. 10.

SkyWest has announced it will cease operations at the Ogdensburg Airport in April.

In a related matter with SkyWest, OBPA board members expressed concerns at a Thursday meeting about a substantial amount of canceled flights.

Airport manager Stephanie Saracco told the board there were 608 in-plane passengers on 45 or 53 scheduled flights. Saracco added that as of Feb. 9, six out of the scheduled 15 flights had been canceled with no explanation, other than weather-related issues, from SkyWest.

“They [SkyWest] still have the obligation to do the service,” said board chair Vernon “Sam” Burns. “And they need to be here as close to on time as possible.”

The Department of Transportation required SkyWest to remain as EAS carrier until a new carrier is on board.

The DOT will have the final say on the service provider, but will consider local input. The matter will be discussed by the OBPA at an upcoming board meeting.