ITHACA — Air travelers in the Southern Tier are getting new facilities and new options. Bolstered by state money from the Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition, the Ithaca and Elmira–area airports are undergoing renovations. A $60 million renovation is well underway at Elmira Corning Regional Airport in Big Flats. Director of Aviation […]
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ITHACA — Air travelers in the Southern Tier are getting new facilities and new options.
Bolstered by state money from the Upstate Airport Economic Development and Revitalization Competition, the Ithaca and Elmira–area airports are undergoing renovations.
A $60 million renovation is well underway at Elmira Corning Regional Airport in Big Flats. Director of Aviation Bill Hopper says the original $58 million plan for upgrades would have left the control tower, which sits in the middle of the airport, looking as it has for decades. The plan was updated to include modernizing the look of the tower, including large electric “ELM” signs on the front and back, announcing the airport’s three-letter code.
The new look for the airport is modern and airy, he explains. Those who pull up in front of the airport will be able to see all the way through to the 8,000-foot runway behind.
Work at Ithaca-Tompkins Regional Airport could start as soon as October, says Mike Hall, manager. Plans call for $24.5 million in renovations and expansion, including a 7,500-square-foot passenger-holding area, larger concession sections, and a 1,700-square-foot ticketing area.
In addition, the airport will be adding a federal customs facility to allow international travel through the airport. There is demand for this, Hall explains because “Global Cornell,” draws visitors from around the world — students, executives, recruiters, trustees, and others. Even before the facility, he says the draw of Cornell is such that hundreds of private planes arrive each year with visitors from overseas.
There is currently no scheduled commercial international service to the airport, but “they’ll fly from Beijing by Gulfstream.” The customs facility, he adds, will make Ithaca more accessible to international entities and act as a boon for economic development in Ithaca and the Southern Tier.
Less grand, perhaps, but of great service to business travelers, the renovations will include an upgrade for the Wi-Fi system and more charging stations.
Along with those improvements, travelers are getting new destinations direct from the Southern Tier.
On Oct. 4, United Airlines will begin service to Washington Dulles International Airport from Ithaca. At the same time, Ithaca will lose United service to Newark International Airport.
“Newark has a certain capacity based on airport layout,” Hall says. Squeezed for space, United dropped Newark as a destination from Ithaca but added Dulles.
“It’s just as good, and we’ve got a new destination,” Hall says of the change. Like Newark, Dulles has many national and international connections and, of course, it gives Ithaca a nonstop link to the nation’s capital.
In addition, Hall says Ithaca will be adding direct flights to Charlotte, North Carolina, on American Airlines starting in December. Charlotte Douglas International Airport is another hub with national and international connections. In addition, Hall says, Charlotte has a high on-time arrival performance, making it a good destination.
Those still wanting to fly to Newark can drive down the road to Big Flats where Elmira-Corning Regional Airport began United service to the New Jersey airport in April. It offers flights twice a day, says Hopper.
At Greater Binghamton Airport in the town of Maine, David Hinkling, commissioner of aviation for Broome County, is currently focused on developing the 300 acres around the airport. The goal is to attract businesses that will make use of the airport and add to the local economy.
Earlier this year, the airport added Evolution Jets, a private jet-chartering company. The firm is based in Texas, Hinkling says, and wants to have corporate jets positioned around the country so it can react quickly to customer demand. Right now Evolution has eight to 10 employees at the airport and it plans to expand to 20 in the next year or so, Hinkling says, using Binghamton as a maintenance base.
Hinkling says the airport chose not to go after terminal renovation grants because the terminal is in good shape. Built in 1950, it was updated in 2000 and freshened up with updated restrooms and other upgrades just six or seven years ago.
Instead, the Greater Binghamton Airport has landed a $68,000 Empire State Development grant to hire a company that specializes in developing airport business parks. Several companies work in that line of business, Hinkling says, and he expects they will respond to the airport’s request for proposals.
He adds that aircraft maintenance companies looking for a place to set up shop might want to know that the airport has landed planes as large as an Air Force C5 Galaxy, “the largest U.S. military plane,” and this spring served an Airbus 320 that was part of an Honor Flight for veterans visiting Washington.
The airport is very aggressively pursuing another destination — perhaps in the South, Hinkling says. He would say no more than, “we have an airline that’s interested.”
Even as it does that, Hinkling says the Greater Binghamton Airport is also looking to see if Delta Airlines might add another daily flight to Detroit, the only scheduled destination currently served by the airport. ν
