Essential Air Service at Plattsburgh and Saranac Lake/Lake Placid, New York and Rutland, Vermont

Order 2007-6-6
OST-2000-8025 - Saranac Lake/Lake Placid, NY
OST-2003-14783 - Plattsburgh, NY
OST-2005-21681 - Rutland, VT

Issued June 6, 2007 | Served June 11, 2007

Order Prohibiting Termination of Service and Requesting Proposals

By this order, the Department is: (a) prohibiting Champlain Enterprises, Inc., d/b/a CommutAir, operating as Continental Connection, from terminating its subsidized essential air service at Plattsburgh and Saranac Lake/Lake Placid, New York, and Rutland, Vermont, at the end of its 90-day notice period, and (b) requesting long-term proposals from carriers interested in providing EAS at all three communities, for a new two-year period, with or without subsidy. Carriers should file their proposals no later than July 11, 2007.

With specific respect to Plattsburgh and Saranac Lake/Lake Placid, we expect proposals consisting of service with 19-passenger aircraft and offering three round trips a day to Boston and/or Albany or two round trips a day with larger aircraft. At Rutland, we expect proposals consisting of service with 19-passenger aircraft and offering two round trips each weekday and each weekend to Boston. Such service is generally consistent with what the communities currently receive, and fully satisfies their essential air service requirements. We encourage proposals that meet those requirements in an efficient manner. Carriers are also welcome to propose more than one service option, if they choose; they need not limit themselves to those requirements if they envision other, potentially more attractive service possibilities - different hubs, for example -- with subsidy requirements that remain competitive.

For Plattsburgh, interested carriers should also note that the Clinton County Airport closed very recently. Certification of Plattsburgh International Airport, formerly Plattsburgh Air Force Base, is complete and now serves as the community's EAS airport.

By: Michael Reynolds