PLATTSBURGH — The Clinton County Legislature has voted to support SkyWest’s Essential Air Service bid, which would continue service from Plattsburgh International Airport to Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C.

“The numbers speak for themselves,” Legislator Robert Hall (D-Area 10, city of Plattsburgh) said at Wednesday’s meeting of the Airport Committee, which he chairs.

Hall said the number of passengers on EAS flights at the airport increased from 5,000 to 6,000 each year to 17,000 when the switch was made to SkyWest, doing business as United Express.

“This is a great flight, and it’s great for the community,” he added.

The resolution approved by the legislature requires that both a copy of it and a letter of support be sent to Michael Martin, a representative of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

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Three proposals

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SkyWest was one of three airlines who submitted bids for EAS funding through the U.S. DOT:

¯ SkyWest offered 12 weekly round-trip flights on a 50-passenger CRJ-200 twinjet to Dulles for a $6.7 million subsidy over two years.

¯ Hyannis Air Service, operating as Cape Air, proposed 21 weekly round-trip flights on a nine-passenger Tecnam Traveller to Logan International Airport in Boston. The airline put forth two contracts, one for two years and the other for four, that both average out to about $2.5 million each year.

¯ Silver Airways put forth 12 weekly round-trip flights on a 34-seat Saab 340B Plus aircraft to Logan for $4.5 million each year for two years.

Airport Director Chris Kreig commented at the committee meeting that SkyWest has done well and been a good partner in the community.

He added that Cape Air was a great company to work with in the past when it was an EAS carrier at the airport, and that he has not heard from Silver Airways throughout the bidding process.

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Community input

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When deciding which bid to select for EAS funding, the U.S. DOT considers five criteria, including community input due by Feb. 28, with feedback from the area’s elected officials given substantial weight.

Several of the area’s elected officials, whose letters are publicly available at regulations.gov, have submitted comments to DOT in support of SkyWest’s proposal: North Country Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-Schuylerville), state Sen. Betty Little (R-Queensbury), Assemblyman D. Billy Jones (D-Plattsburgh), city of Plattsburgh Mayor Colin Read and town of Plattsburgh Supervisor Michael Cashman.

At the committee meeting Wednesday, Cashman shared that, earlier in the day, he had spoken with a local business community member who told him, unsolicited, that he would be flying out of Plattsburgh Thursday and had flown three different clients into Plattsburgh last week.

“That’s an incredible testimony that having the point-to-point connection and cutting down on travel time from various other regional airports says a lot and it really is helping.

“And it’s not just about the business community. There’s been a number of people that have also reached out to us locally that are very proud that what you folks have done over the years has really sprung a new well of opportunity.”

Hall noted that more than 100 letters have been sent to U.S. DOT suggesting that it select SkyWest’s proposal.

Those included correspondence from representatives of area hospitals, local colleges and many businesses.

“The business community is really, really thankful for this flight,” Hall said. “They think it’s the greatest thing that’s happened.”