More flights for 'Canada's U.S. airport;' JetBlue connections next?

More flights are headed to tiny Plattsburgh International Airport in upstate New York. The latest flights come from small leisure carrier Myrtle Beach Direct Air, which will add nonstop service from Plattsburgh to Myrtle Beach, S.C. The Plattsburgh Press-Republican writes "Myrtle Beach Direct flights are operated by Xtra Airways, based in Elko, Nev. Myrtle Beach Direct uses Boeing 737-400 twin-engine aircraft, which offer 138 coach seats and 12 first-class seats." The carrier's other cities include Newark, N.J.; Niagara Falls, N.Y.; Pittsburgh; Columbus Rickenbacker, Ohio; and Gulfport/Biloxi, Miss. The Plattsburgh flights to Myrtle Beach will operate three days a week beginning March 15, according to The Adirondack Daily Enterprise. One-stop service to St. Petersburg, Fla., will be available twice weekly.

As for Plattsburgh, the new service is the latest of several new routes for the airport, which is just about 60 miles from downtown Montreal and bills itself as "Montreal's U.S. airport." The then-little-used airport got a boost late last year when leisure carrier Allegiant Airlines announced plans to add flights to Orlando and Fort Lauderdale. Allegiant officials say the opportunity to lure Canadian carriers across the border for cheaper flights was a big draw. The new service from Myrtle Beach Direct was welcomed by New York Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, long a champion of aviation in his home state. "This is just the beginning for Plattsburgh's new airport. There is a groundswell of support for reliable and affordable air service throughout the region," he tells the Press-Republican.

And, there could be additional good news on the way for Plattsburgh. The airport lost its Essential Air Service (EAS) provider when ailing Big Sky Airlines pulled out of the market Jan. 7. Now, Cape Air has been selected by the feds to replace Big Sky and it will offer service to Boston in "two to three weeks," according to the Press-Republican. The paper says under the EAS program, "airlines are subsidized to serve remote areas. Big Sky's deal was for more than $2 million per year." Cape Air also was selected for EAS service to Boston from Saranac Lake, N.Y. -- also left in the lurch by Big Sky's departure. (RELATED STORY: Subsidies keep small-airport flights in the air)

The Press-Republican notes that Cape Air has codesharing alliances with both JetBlue and Continental. Schumer says the JetBlue link could be a boon for cities. "I'll be working hard to ensure that Jet Blue enacts a code share with Cape Air that will give North Country fliers access to low-cost air routes from Plattsburgh and Saranac Lake to destinations around the country," he tells the paper. As for JetBlue, spokesman Sebastian White tells Today in the Sky: "Our route planning team is looking at how Plattsburgh and Saranac Lake could fit into JetBlue's network. Since day one of operation, JetBlue has had strong ties to upstate New York, so there's a natural connection for us in these communities. Cape Air has been an excellent partner for us. Being able to offer connecting service to 20-plus destinations certainly makes EAS service more viable and more valuable." JetBlue also serves the region via Burlington, Vt. -- just across Lake Champlain from Plattsburgh and upstate New York.