BY JEFF CHUDZINSKI
North Country This Week

MASSENA — Despite Boutique Air announcing a plan to terminate its current Essential Air Service Contract with Massena earlier this month, airline officials say they have no plans to leave the North Country.

Town Supervisor Susan Bellor confirmed she had met with officials from Boutique Air, calling the meeting a “positive, good conversation” that seemingly helped clear the air after Boutique Air announced they would be terminating their current contract with Massena in order to re-bid at a higher subsidy.

Officials say they are charting a path forward for Boutique Air to remain at Massena International Airport, despite the drastic economic changes seen over the last few years.

“It was a very positive and helpful meeting to come to a mutual understanding on the reason we put in notice to speed up the contract renewal process. We are most definitely going to rebid the Massena contract once the DOT sends out the request to bid,” Vice President of Business Operations Brian Kondrad said.

According to Kondrad, Boutique has maintained a 99-100% completion rate of all flights this year and Boutique Air “looks forward to providing excellent service for years to come.”

Boutique Air was first selected as an Essential Air Service provider for Massena in 2019, at first just offering flights to Boston Logan International Airport.

A second contract was approved in 2021 after U.S. Department of Transportation officials announced Boutique Air was again selected to fulfill an EAS contract worth over $3.4 million per year, this time running through March 31, 2023.

Officials announced on Dec. 18, 2020 that 21 weekly, round trip flights to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport were approved in lieu of service to Boston.

No change in the annual subsidy occurred, nor was the contract end date changed.

Prior to Boutique Air receiving the EAS contract in 2019 for Massena Airport, Cape Air had serviced the airport for eight years.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic officials say the previous contract is no longer suitable for all parties involved.

“Due to the previous contract reflecting costs from 2019, the current subsidy provided by the DOT does not reflect the current economic conditions of today. This was the sole reason for the cancellation of the current contract and to begin the rebidding process for a more economically adequate subsidy rate,” Kondrad said.

According to Kondrad, Massena officials agree the current economy is “not the same as it was a few years ago”, with Massena Airport incurring their own rise in operational costs.

Despite Boutique Air announcing a re-bid for the EAS contract is on the way, air service will still continue as normal.

All flights are currently available through the end of March and will continue to start at just $59, Kondrad said.

“Massena is just important to us as we are to the community and region,” he said.