BY JIMMY LAWTONNorth Country This Week

OGDENSBURG -- With the existing Contour Air contract set to expire in a matter of weeks, Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority officials are awaiting an Essential Air Service announcement from the Department of Transportation.

OBPA CEO Steve Lawrence said no official word has come through from the Department of Transportation, but he expects an announcement will be made soon.

DOT officials have the final say in which company will be awarded the Essential Air Service subsidy, which helps rural areas like Ogdensburg offset costs associated with air service.

In June the public heard from four airlines vying for the EAS subsidy.

Breeze Airways submitted a proposal to provide a 137-passenger jet with one daily round trip flight from Ogdensburg to Washington D.C. One-way fares were estimated at around $60.

Breeze is also in ongoing conversations with the airport about offering flights outside of the EAS proposal that could include flights to Florida.

Breeze Air representative Eric Fletcher noted that he was formerly an employee of Allegiant Air, which once offered flights from Ogdensburg to Florida, which were not part of an EAS contract.

He said Breeze Air currently offers that service in Plattsburgh and says market data suggests that such flights could be profitable in Ogdensburg, despite being ineligible for federal subsidies.

The weakness in Breeze’s proposal is the lack of interline partnerships. Fletcher said that while he believes that such partnerships will exist by 2024, at this time he can’t share details.

Essentially that would mean travelers would need to book their connecting flights from D.C. separately, if such deals do not come to fruition.

As for strengths, the larger jet planes tend to be more palatable for some fliers and the planes will include Wifi and options of three levels of seating ranging from general to first class.

Fletcher noted that the company believes it can capture the Canadian market in Ottawa with the flights to D.C.

In June the OBPA voted 4-1 in favor of supporting Breeze Air's proposal.

Lawrence remains hopeful that the DOT will make an announcement soon that flights from the new provider will be ready to begin as soon as the Contour Air contract expires at the end of the month.