BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENBSURG – Today marked the next chapter for the Ogdensburg Airport as Contour Air boarded passengers for the first flight to Philadelphia Friday afternoon.

Prior to the take off, representatives from the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority, St. Lawrence County, Ogdensburg, Waddington, Lisbon and Gouverneur gathered to celebrate the good news.

Contour Air CEO Matt Chaifetz told the crowd that he was happy to bring the airline to Ogdensburg and looked forward to the new partnership.

The change in service comes after months of debate and conjecture between the OBPA and Skywest, who announced in January that they were going to cease providing United Express flights to Washington DC from Ogdensburg.

At the time, Skywest claimed staffing issues and limited passenger numbers led to the decision based on financial projections which presented an unsustainable business model.

Contour Air was awarded Alternative Essential Air Service funding following months of negotiations and hard work from the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority.

OBPA Chair Vernon ‘Sam’ Burns said he “couldn’t be happier.”

Contour will offer 12 flights a week aboard a 30 passenger jet with direct flights to Philadelphia, allowing county residents to reach a hub and connect to flights from American Airlines.

Speakers at the event included St. Lawrence County Legislator Jim Reagen who spoke on behalf of Sen. Patti Ritchie, Ogdensburg Mayor Michael Skelly, SLC Legislator Joe Lightfoot, Chaifetz, Burns and airport Manager Stephanie Saracco.

Attending the event were Legislators Lightfoot, Reagen, Nichole Terminelli, and Bill Sheridan as well as Ogdensburg Mayor Michael Skelly, Lisbon Town Supervisor Bill Nelson, Waddington Mayor Michael Zagrobelny and Gouverneur Mayor Ron McDougall.

Republican Primary winner for the 116th Assembly District Scott Gray and several members of the Ogdensburg Bridge and Port Authority were also in attendance.

Mayor Skelly congratulated the hard work of the OBPA in securing the air service and noted that they have faced tremendous difficulties in the wake of the pandemic which shut down border traffic and caused major burdens for the port and airport over the past two years.

Lightfoot told Chaifetz that he would find St. Lawrence County is open for business and thanked him for bringing the much needed air service to the county.