You can doubt Plattsburgh's advantages in corralling Montreal airline passengers if you want. You can insist that it just doesn't make sense for people to drive 60 miles, through a tight border, to fly South. But the facts that are now emerging are making it harder and harder for you.

On Jan. 10, President Ed Warneck and Chief Financial Officer Bob Keilman of Myrtle Beach Direct Air and Tours were officially welcomed to Plattsburgh International Airport to introduce charter service between Plattsburgh and Myrtle Beach and between Plattsburgh and Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla.

It's almost impossible to listen to them -- particularly the loquacious Warneck -- and doubt that Plattsburgh will eventually succeed as a charter departure. And destination, of all things. It's true, Warneck swears: People in Myrtle Beach and St. Petersburg are as interested in enjoying Montreal, Lake Placid, the mountains, the lake and the foliage in the summer and fall as people here are in enjoying beaches and golf in the winter. Warneck calls it "cross-pollination of the communities."

In fact, plans are afoot for a full-scale marketing campaign in those Southern communities to tout the assets of Quebec and northern New York.

But let's forget for a moment that a tourism influx from the South is even possible. Let's focus strictly on the possibilities of heavy traffic out of Plattsburgh to the South. With Montreal relatively across the street, it's anything but an idle dream.

The 2 million Montrealers who may want to fly South can fly out of their own city; they can fly out of Burlington; or they can fly out of Plattsburgh.

Burlington is simply farther for them to go than Plattsburgh is, and it will cost them to leave their cars at the airport. If they fly out of Montreal, the federal taxes and fees will total more than $100. In Plattsburgh, they can park free and pay pennies in taxes and fees.

Allegiant has booked 1,700 passengers to Fort Lauderdale in a month.

Myrtle Beach will charge, for a certain number of seats, $99 for coach and $149 for first class, with no additional charges -- no per-bag fees, for example (two are allowed plus a carry-on). They will offer free beverages and snacks and promise the prices will hold for at least a year, barring soaring fuel prices.

"We emphasize service," Warneck said. "We answer our phones. We won't put you in a maze (of electronic answering devices)."

Since the airport was conceived in the late 1990s, the plan was for cargo and charter flights catering to Montrealers. Then, once the charters certify the potential, airlines would come in to take advantage of the obvious thirst for travel elsewhere.

Allegiant and Myrtle Beach Direct Air are believers, and, according to Warneck, "They (other carriers) are all watching."

Daily commuter Big Sky was a failure, but for lack of adequate service, not because of empty planes. Cape Air is now talking with the Department of Transportation and county officials about setting up in Plattsburgh and in Saranac Lake.

Nothing has happened yet to discourage the original scheme. So far, everything has gone according to hopes and plans.