Cape Air picked to provide air service to other North Country communities

March 18, 2008 09:45 am

— WATERTOWN, N.Y. (AP) — Cape Air, the recently assigned passenger airline for Plattsburgh International Airport, has been awarded a two-year contract to provide federally subsidized air service to three other Northern new York communities.
The Massachusetts-based airline will receive a $3.88 million annual subsidy to provide so-called Essential Air Service to Watertown, Massena and Ogdenbsurg. The airline will offer three nonstop daily flights to each community from Albany.
Last month, the Hyannis, Mass.-based carrier began providing federally subsidized air service to Plattsburgh and Saranac Lake from Boston's Logan International Airport after the U.S. Department of Transportation accepted its $2.8 million bid.
Northern New York was left without commuter air service in January when Montana-based Big Sky shut down its East Coast operations because of disappointing revenues.
Cape Air has a fleet of about 50 Cessna 402 twin-engine aircraft, which carried about 700,000 passengers last year. Cape Air provides flights in the New England region, Indiana, Florida, the Caribbean and Micronesia. The airline, which has operated since 1989, uses Boston for its Northeast hub.
Spokeswoman Michelle Haynes said Cape Air was looking to begin serving Ogdensburg, Massena and Watertown before its proposed Sept. 16 date, but details haven't been finalized.

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