BY JEFF CHUDZINSKINorth Country This Week

MASSENA — Bids are being accepted to determine what airline will provide essential air service at Massena airport next year.

U.S. Department of Transportation officials have put out a bid request for Essential Air Service at the Massena International Airport. 

Town Supervisor Sue Bellor said she recently received a call from a U.S. DOT official to inform her the bid process was open, allowing EAS providers to bid for the next contract at the airport. 

The current provider, Boutique Air, will continue to provide air service until the end of their current contract, which expires on March 31, 2025. 

Town officials say Boutique Air has already expressed interest in continuing their relationship with Massena. 

Bellor commented on the timeline of events, noting that the town would be informed of the interested airlines and provided information regarding each. 

Shortly thereafter interviews will commence with all airlines who apply, which will then lead to the Department of Transportation selecting which airline will provide future air service at the airport. 

Bellor said it was her hope that the town would receive a significant number of applicants in a competitive bid process. 

First selected in February 2017, Boutique Air has worked as the town’s EAS provider to various locations. 

When it was first announced as the town’s EAS provider, Boutique Air offered three flights daily, two of which were to Albany and a third that was a direct flight to Baltimore. 

In recent years Boutique Air has provided flights to Boston daily, shifting away from original plans to continue to offer flights to Baltimore along with the Boston bound flights. 

That occurred in February 2023 when Boutique Air was awarded a 2-year contract to service Massena International Airport after a rebid process was completed. 

Boutique Air officials had opted to end their EAS service under the existing contract with a notice issued in Sept. 2022, saying they hoped to rebid at a higher subsidy rate due to increased costs of doing business. 

CEO Shawn Simpson wrote in the termination notice that the airline was giving 90 days notice with the intention of rebidding, which was successful in the end. 

As part of the contract Boutique Air provides 21 round-trip flights every week to Boston Logan International Airport. 

For the first year, the airline was subsidized at a rate of $5,322,161, with a subsidy rate of $5,535,047 in the second year of the contract. 

That contract represented a significant increase from the subsidy rate of $3,411,097 and $3,479,318 as part of the previous contract. 

The seven-year relationship with Boutique Air is one that town officials have been supportive of, especially given the high percentage of on-time and scheduled flights. 

Airport Manager Dylan Casselman also provided an update on the airlines numbers at the airport, saying that 538 individuals enplaned with 511 deplaning for a total of 1,049 total passengers in the month of October. In total, 184 flights were completed at the airport with just two canceled due to weather. 

Town officials say they will continue to provide updates on EAS applicants when possible.