By KIM SMITH DEDAM
Staff Writers
December 21, 2007 04:00 am
—
and JOE LoTEMPLIO
LAKE CLEAR -- Big Sky has a big debt at Adirondack Airport -- and has been cut off from fuel supplies until it's paid.
The beleaguered airline also owes Clinton County money.
But airline President Fred deLeeuw says the bills will be paid.
"We are not going into bankruptcy, and everyone who is owed money will be paid," deLeeuw said Thursday from his office in Montana.
LOCAL DEBTS
News of Big Sky Airline's intent to close its operations in the Northeast landed in Lake Clear about 8 p.m. Wednesday, according to Harrietstown Town Councilman Barry DeFuria. He has worked as acting airport manager, along with Supervisor Larry Miller for the past month, while the search to hire a new manager is under way.
Big questions remain unanswered with Big Sky service, he said, which has had 80 percent of its flights fail to take off or land when scheduled since startup Nov. 1.
And the company has not paid any fuel bills, de-icing costs or rental fees for airport space.
"We billed them toward the end of November," DeFuria said. "They owe $51,000 and change so far and haven't paid a dime."
The airline also owes Clinton County about $25,000 for fuel and other materials since it began operating at Plattsburgh International Airport on Oct. 31.
Town officials advised airport crews Wednesday night that Big Sky cannot refuel until the amount owed is paid, DeFuria said.
"We put out instructions last night -- as of last night, they get no more services until we get paid."
Big Sky offered town crews a credit card, but it wouldn't take $51,000.
"So they didn't get any fuel," DeFuria said. "We've cut them off."
Non-payment is hurting other business at the airport, as well, he said.
"They haven't paid anybody, not even taxis for stranded passengers. It's real strange."
Clinton County is considering implementing a cash-on-delivery policy for Big Sky, County Administrator Michael Zurlo said.
DeLeeuw called Lake Clear's actions "bizarre."
"If they are not going to give us gas, then we just won't fly there anymore," deLeeuw said.
REPLACEMENT MANDATED
Big Sky's announcement to end service in Plattsburgh and Harrietstown also includes closing regional base operations in Watertown, Massena and Ogdensburg.
But under its Essential Air Service contract with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Big Sky cannot leave without a replacement deal in place, DeFuria said.
"Unless they fire all their employees and sell all their airplanes, they're going to have to come in here. They have a contract with DOT. They have to land and whether they land, empty or full, it doesn't matter. That's when they get paid."
Big Sky's purported withdrawal will leave the North Country in a commuter bind.
"If you take Allegiant Air (flights from Plattsburgh to Florida) out of the mix, enplanements have been higher at Harrietstown than in Plattsburgh. But Plattsburgh has had the same problem with Big Sky as we have," DeFuria said.
It won't shut the Lake Clear airport down, he said.
Big Sky is also the essential air service provider in Plattsburgh.
DONE JAN. 7
DeLeeuw said Big Sky will continue to operate in this area until Jan. 7, and that's it.
The Department of Transportation put out an emergency request-for-proposal for a replacement Essential Air Service provider, a spokesman said.
Big Sky will be required to continue operating until a replacement can be found, DOT said, but deLeeuw said that won't happen.
If Big Sky does cease service before a replacement is found, DOT can halt the company from flying in Montana.
"If that happens, then we will just shut the whole airline down," deLeeuw said.
The DOT spokesman said that if Big Sky involuntarily ceases operations because aircraft are repossessed or pilots and mechanics leave their jobs, the agency will do everything possible to speed up the process of getting a replacement service.
While business continued Thursday at Plattsburgh International, the circumstances were much of the same, with flights canceled at the last minute, leaving passengers frustrated.
PRIVATE FLIGHTS CONTINUE
"General aviation (from private and charter flights) and fuel sales keep us going," DeFurnia said. "If we didn't have (Big Sky), as far as Adirondack Regional goes, it wouldn't shut down the airport."
Commuter air service is the subject of a marketing push in the region, but it's not an economic generator yet.
Sales from CommutAir last year totaled about $58,000, DeFuria said.
"If we cut down on some overtime, we could change our scheduling, but would it close the airport? Not even close."
FFA FUNDS
On Wednesday, in fact, DeFuria and Miller went to FAA headquarters in Garden City, N.J., and returned with a tentative $1 million in discretionary funds to be used to rehabilitate one of the Adirondack Airport taxiways and install a rotating beacon, which is a navigation aid, DeFuria said.
"Of course, we were talking about this (situation with Big Sky), but there's nothing the FAA can do about it. Even DOT cannot withhold payments because (Big Sky) is not paying their bills."
FEWER FLYING
Enplanements for commuter Essential Air Service at Adirondack Regional Airport have dropped off significantly since 1998, which was when CommutAir took over.
What was once about 5,000 enplanements annually dropped to about 2,000.
"These guys (Big Sky), we thought, were going to pick up any slack and do something," DeFuria said.
Withdrawal of service would leave the region without access to a larger airline hub.
Big Sky connects to Delta Airlines flights in Boston.
Clinton County Legislator Robert Heins (R-Area 10, City of Plattsburgh), who chairs the county's Airport Committee, has said that Clinton County knew there were problems but that Big Sky's plan to withdraw came as "a total shock."
He said Clinton County officials talked with federal Department of Transportation officials Tuesday and were assured Big Sky would get its act together within 48 hours.
MANAGER NEEDED
Meantime, Harrietstown continues to search for a new airport manager.
Christopher D. Kreig, who had served as Adirondack Airport manager, left recently to run Plattsburgh International Airport.
"We're still looking," DeFuria said.
The window for applications closed last week, and town officials received "a ton" of resumes.
"We'll probably do some phone interviews to make sure applicants want to come here for $48,000 per year. We're still on track," DeFuria said.
UPSET
Federal lawmakers promised to work on the air-service situation.
"I'm very disappointed in Big Sky's decision to abandon service to northern New York," Rep. John McHugh (R-Pierrepont Manor) said in a news release. "I am prepared to pursue any and all appropriate actions to ensure that we maintain scheduled, commercial air service to the North Country."
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) said the service is critical to this area.
"My office has been in contact with local community leaders to assess the situation and will work closely with affected communities and with other members of the New York delegation to find a replacement that meets the needs of the North Country."
The Saranac Lake Area Chamber of Commerce said the loss of service will have a big impact on the area.
Executive Director Sylvie Nelson said the airline problems "can be traced back to the lack of management and leadership on Big Sky's part."
She noted that Big Sky is based in Montana, "where they have winters similar to ours, so the weather conditions cannot have been a big surprise to them.
"Additionally, problems occurring at the Adirondack Regional Airport have also been occurring at the Massena and Ogdensburg airports, where Big Sky has been operating since April. You would think they would have learned from their startup there and apply changes here and in Plattsburgh."
E-mail Kim Smith Dedam at:
kdedam@pressrepublican.com
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