BEFORE THE

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

WASHINGTON DC

Proposal Under the Small Community

Air Service Development Program

DOCKET DOT-OST-2010-0124

Sponsored by

TOWN OF MASSENA, NEW YORK

Community DUNS Number – 077308237

Submitted August 27, 2010

All communications with respect to this document should be sent to:

Joseph D. Gray

Supervisor

Town of Massena

60 Main Street

Massena, New York 13662

Tel: 315-769-3588

Fax: 315-769-7957

Email: supervisor@town.massena.ny.us
Page 1 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

Small Community Air Service Development Program

DOCKET DOT-OST-2010-0124

Application from the Town of Massena, New York

Submitted August 27, 2010

GRANT PROPOSAL 

Background

The Town of Massena was the grateful recipient of a $400,000 Small Community Air Service 

grant in 2005 which was awarded to help the community market the Massena International 

Airport and to develop sustainable service. For the reasons explained below, the grant was 

extended for an additional one-year term (for a total of three years), a final report was filed in 

December of 2009, and the Town has received the full reimbursement of all withheld funds 

from DOT. Our DOT grant administrator was C. Whitney Mandel.

This application is being filed by the Town of Massena as an Essential Air Services (EAS) 

community that currently receives subsidized air service under the EAS program. This proposal 

is limited to the marketing and promotion of EAS service at our airport, which may be different 

than the service we currently have in place. This is because our current EAS service is being 

rebid by DOT at this time, with three proposals under consideration. The community will use 

the proceeds of any grant received under the SCASDGP process to market the service that will 

be provided by the carrier awarded the route by DOT. The community also understands that 

EAS-subsidized communities such as ours cannot use grant funds to support any new, 

competing air service, and that no funds will be authorized to support additional flights by EAS 

carriers or changes to those carriers’ existing schedules, in order to avoid conflict with the EAS 

program.

During the course of the 2005 grant period, the community experienced two serious setbacks

that delayed our ability to carry out the purposes of the 2005 grant:

 The EAS carrier serving our region, Big Sky, ceased its services to our airport during the first 

year into its contract, leaving our airport with no air service at all for eight months, until the

replacement carrier, Cape Air, was able to commence service. 

 The Seaway International Bridge that connects Massena to Cornwall, Ontario, was 

unexpectedly closed by a Mohawk protest demonstration for six weeks; this occurred on 

the day we held our first Canadian marketing event for a campaign which emphasized the 

easy connections between Cornwall and the Massena Airport, which is “right across the 

bridge.”

These unforeseen difficulties seriously limited and delayed airport marketing efforts, as we had 

to switch gears to focus on crisis management and attracting a new carrier, and obviously could 

not market the airport until a new carrier was in place and the bridge was open again. 
Page 2 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

Despite these obstacles, a number of key strategies were implemented, which collectively 

provide a strong foundation for the activities proposed in this grant application:

 We gathered the data needed to demonstrate that Massena had the airport infrastructure, 

location and catchment area to eventually become a non-EAS airport.

 From our outreach to carriers, we learned we needed to increase our EAS numbers 

substantially before non-EAS providers would consider bringing sustainable service to our 

airport.

 We learned how to work with airlines, and recruited a team of community leaders to 

support air service development and who participated in our first ever market presentation 

to an airline company.

 We created a new airport website ( www.massenainternationalairport.com ) built 

relationships with the major travel users in our catchment area, and implemented a

marketing campaign to introduce the airport to Canada and to promote it on the U.S. side 

of the region. Massena is located on the New York/Ontario border. The Canadian portion 

of our catchment area has a much larger population and these numbers hold the key to 

being able to increase our ridership numbers to the point where we can attract sustainable 

service.

Unfortunately, we reached the end of the extended 2005 grant award period just when these 

efforts were beginning to bear fruit.

The funding we are requesting in this SCASDGP grant application would be used to build upon

the foundation laid in the 2005 grant period and is focused on the requirement that EAS 

airports must apply for funding only to market their EAS service. That objective is exactly in line 

with where we need to go next with our airport, as we have identified increasing our EAS 

ridership, particularly from major travel users on the U.S. side, and from the Cornwall, Ontario 

market on the Canadian side, as the next step we need to take before a carrier will work with us 

on sustainable service.

With continued U.S. DOT investment, we will:

 Implement a comprehensive and sustained web and media campaign to market and 

promote Massena’s existing EAS service – thus building on the Massena Airport brand 

awareness established under the first grant, and “lessons learned” from our first 

promotional campaign.

 Use creative promotional approaches to attract ridership from the major travel users in our 

region and key market segments.

 Pursue a cooperative, complimentary airport development approach to encourage 

Canadians in the Cornwall, Ontario region to use the EAS service at Massena.
Page 3 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

In addition, since we received our first Small Community Air Service grant, Massena has 

experienced the closure of one of our major employers, a General Motors plant which had 

operated here for nearly 50 years. Economic development in Massena and Northern New York 

has long lagged the rest of the state and nation, and this plant closure has been an additional

blow. Transportation barriers have been identified as one of the key reasons for the region’s 

lack of development. With DOT funding to help us launch an aggressive marketing campaign at 

this time, we will:

 Ensure that the DOT will get the most return for the EAS subsidy dollars it provides to our 

airport.

 Reach the next milestone in our efforts to transition out of the EAS system.

 Tackle one of the key transportation barriers holding our region back.

 Provide Massena with a rallying point for promoting the community at a difficult economic 

time.

 Use air service as a catalyst for initiating new economic development strategies for Massena 

as a Canadian border community.

“Gateway of the St. Lawrence Valley”
Page 4 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

About Massena, New York

The Town of Massena, New York is located in St. Lawrence County on the New York/Ontario, 

Canada border, in the heart of the state’s sprawling, rural and geographically isolated “North 

Country”. 

Sandwiched between the Adirondack Park to the south and the St. Lawrence River to the North, 

Massena is located in the center of a six-county area that is one of the few regions of the U.S. 

without a four-lane highway. There is also no major airport; instead, Massena operates one of 

five small airports situated throughout the region which operate under EAS subsidies.

Economic growth has been strongest at the edges of the region, which are home to the only 

communities that have been able to grow to the size of cities – Watertown to the west, and 

Plattsburgh to the east. In between, Massena is one of over 200 towns and villages which have 

small, “no growth” economies supported by agriculture, higher education, health care, or 

government services. Economic sectors that are beginning to grow include gaming activities at 

the adjacent St. Regis Mohawk Akwesasne reservation, where a casino expansion is underway, 

and outdoor recreation/heritage tourism, as the region learns how to capitalize on its rivers and 

lakes, undeveloped land, and colonial history.

A variety of resource-based industries, such as mining and forestry, as well as manufacturing

and retail services, are also scattered throughout the region. Massena, which is home to the 

region’s only shopping mall and the oldest Alcoa facility in North America, has built its economy 

on being a retail and industrial center. Unfortunately, these economic sectors are both in 

serious decline, and this has begun to take a toll on the community and region.

EMPLOYMENT STATUS

In labor force 57.9%

Not in labor force 42.1%

OCCUPATION

Management/professional 25.5%

Service occupations 22.2%

Sales and office occupations 24.8%

Manufacturing 17.4%

Retail trade 16.65%

Educ./health/social services 24.7%

Government workers 17.3%

INCOME

Median household income $31,391

Median family income $38,696

Per capita income $18,111

Massena NY 2000 Census Data
Page 5 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

Needs and Opportunities to be Met by Marketing Massena’s EAS Service

Insufficient transportation infrastructure is a major contributor to the region’s lack of progress, 

as documented in two different transportation studies – a March 2002 North Country 

Transportation Study implemented by the Development Authority of the North Country with 

$1.5 M in funding secured by former Congressman John McHugh, and a 2008 Northern Tier 

Expressway Study prepared by Wilbur Smith Associates for the NYS DOT and the Federal 

Highway Administration. Findings in these studies related to air service concluded, among 

other things, that consolidating service at one or more regional airport(s) would lead to 

improved service and increased benefits for the region, and that poor transportation negatively 

impacts potential student enrollment in the region’s colleges and universities, and is a major

detriment to student recruitment.

A lack of transportation infrastructure, however, does not translate into a lack of travel needs 

and opportunities. The main drivers in these areas include:

Current air service travel needs

 With a border location on a major waterway, Massena is a strategic operations center for 

state and federal power and security agencies that employ large numbers of workers who 

must maintain relationships with offices in other parts of the state and nation. 

 The multi-national Alcoa Corporation has operated a manufacturing facility in Massena for 

over 100 years; a recently signed contract assures the plant’s operation for the foreseeable 

future. The largest employer in the area, Alcoa provides a consistent base of air travelers

 Additional major employers in the Massena area include four colleges and universities

located in the nearby communities of Canton and Potsdam; their financial stability depends 

upon being able to attract students from outside the region to reach their enrollment goals.

 A northern climate and an aging population create a substantial “snowbird” traveling public 

in winter months when traveling to larger cities for flights south is difficult and dangerous. 

Key air service opportunities

 Professional consultant efforts, funded by the 2005 SCASDGP grant, confirmed that the 

Massena Airport’s location, and its capacity for expansion, made it the best candidate in the 

North Country to attract and sustain non-subsidized service in the future. While intrigued 

by Massena’s potential, carriers were interested in seeing increased growth in EAS-funded 

travel before they would consider bringing sustainable service to the community. 

 The St. Regis Mohawk Akwesasne community, which straddles the border and is adjacent to 

Massena, has made a substantial investment in its casino/gaming operations, both of which 

are increasing visitors to the region. Like the colleges and universities in the region, the 

Mohawks currently base their promotional strategies on a driving market, but all have an 

interest in expanding their markets if air service continues to improve in Massena.
Page 6 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

 Massena is located directly across the St. Lawrence River from the Canadian city of 

Cornwall, Ontario, with each community anchoring one end of an international bridge. 

Cornwall’s airport is smaller than Massena’s and has no commercial service. The population 

of Cornwall and its immediate surrounding area is 65,000, and 80,000 including outlying 

regions. Cornwall-area Canadians patronize our restaurants, entertainment and shopping 

venues, and travel to Syracuse, Plattsburgh or Burlington for affordable U.S. flights, 

particularly to points south. A 2008-09 Retention and Expansion Study by the Cornwall

Economic Development Department revealed that 71% of respondents from the city’s

manufacturing sector travel out of the region on business; 41% utilized air for some of these 

travel needs, with the majority using Montreal or Ottawa as departure points. U.S. travel 

destinations accounted for 40% of travel needs, with east coast destinations accounting for 

20% of that total. Increasing the number of Canadians using Massena’s EAS service to reach 

U.S. destinations is a key part of this funding request; they are willing to cross the border to 

access U.S. services, and are our airport’s largest untapped market.

 Massena has long been the manufacturing and retail center of the region, these two 

economic drivers, however, are in serious decline. General Motors closed its 50-year old 

Massena plant, which employed nearly 500 workers, in 2009. Massena’s St. Lawrence 

Centre, the only mall in the center of the region, is struggling with a high vacancy rate. 

Currently, St. Lawrence County’s unemployment rate is the second highest in the state 

(New York City is first). Historically, one of Massena’s strongest economic development 

assets was its status as one of the only communities in the central counties of the North 

County to have low-cost, municipal power; this long-time advantage, however, is now under 

threat as efforts to offer low public power rates throughout the region pick up momentum. 

Massena is in urgent need of developing new economic drivers. The Massena Airport has 

been identified as a key asset for spurring development in Massena, the Greater 

Massena/Cornwall market, and surrounding county areas.

Massena International Airport Catchment Area
Page 7 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

Description of Existing Air Service

 Carrier – Massena is currently served by Cape Air, an employee-owned company founded in 

1989 that has been recognized by the FAA with a Diamond Award for Aircraft Maintenance. 

Cape Air partners with at least 20 major airlines and has codeshares with Continental, Jet 

Blue and American Airlines. The third EAS provider to serve Massena over the last six years, 

Cape Air is widely credited for restoring confidence at Massena and the four other airports 

it serves in the North Country under the EAS program, following a period in which all 

communities endured very poor service from Big Sky Airlines, and then no service at all 

when that airline ceased operations nine months into its EAS contract. 

 

 Service frequency – Cape Air runs three flights daily, seven days a week (21 weekly 

departures). Flights are staggered to accommodate arrivals and departures at different 

times – flights leave at 6:48 AM, 12:20 PM or 4:55 PM; return flights arrive at 11:50 AM, 

3:00 PM or 7:30 PM. 

 Nonstop destinations – Cape Air provides non-stop service between Massena and Albany. 

Albany is a destination that has been requested by air travelers in the region since 2004. 

Cape Air is the first EAS carrier to make this interest the basis for their EAS proposal. 

 Fares – Cape Air offers a $59.50 one-way fare, and runs periodic $99 round trip ticket 

specials; they also offer discount pricing for those purchasing books of tickets for frequent 

travel needs.

 Equipment types – Cape Air operates Cessna 402s, which fits with the airline’s focus on 

serving island communities and small EAS markets. While area travelers understand the 

size of the aircraft is adequate for short flights to Albany, many have expressed a preference 

for larger planes in the future.

Massena International Airport Welcomes You!

With direct access from St. 

Lawrence and Franklin Counties, 

minutes from Cornwall and the 

St. Lawrence Seaway Valley, 

three quarters of an hour to 

Montreal's West Island and a 

mere hour's drive from Ottawa, 

Massena International Airport is 

truly the St. Lawrence Seaway 

Valley's number one choice for 

air travel! 
Page 8 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

Synopsis of the History of Air Service in Massena

Service to Massena has historically required an EAS subsidy. Through 2006, Massena was

served by US Airways Express (MESA Airlines), which operated weekday, small turboprop 

services to Pittsburgh with stops in Massena, Ogdensburg, and Watertown. This service was 

acceptable at the time that Alcoa’s operations required frequent travel to Pittsburgh, and when 

US Airways operated a connecting hub there. As both of these elements were eliminated, 

Pittsburgh fell out of favor as destination by local air travelers, who had also become 

increasingly intolerant of the up-and-down nature of the flight that had three stops in the North 

Country to communities people could reach faster by car. 

In the early part of the 2000 decade, local elected officials began to lobby MESA and DOT to 

eliminate the three-stop schedule, and to make Albany the destination for flights out of 

Massena. To support their efforts, officials commissioned a survey in 2002 by the Merwin Rural 

Services Institute of SUNY Potsdam to document the travel destination interests of local air 

travelers. A total of 82 businesses and institutions in St. Lawrence County provided these 

responses:

 Nearly 70% would be more likely to use local air service if the destination hub were changed 

from Pittsburgh to Albany. 

 Nearly 75% were currently traveling out of the region, to Syracuse or Canada, to board 

flights, despite the higher taxes and fees involved that make the cost of Canadian air travel 

very steep. 

 72% identified Albany as one of their top three regular travel destinations.

 Less than 30% indicated that they utilized local air service at any level; for the majority, an

out-of-county airport was used in order to reach another destination than Pittsburgh.

 Additional traffic leakage from the St. Lawrence catchment area occurred due to travelers

choosing to drive, rather than fly, to their destinations; the lack of flights to Albany left 

travelers with no other option than driving for meetings and business in the state capital.

Armed with this data, officials in Massena and surrounding areas solicited letters of support to 

change the destination for Massena flights to Albany. Letters were received from leading 

industries, institutions of higher education and officials at all levels of government, as well as 

from the region’s state and federal elected representatives. The switch in hubs was also

supported by the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, General Motors Powertrain Group and the New York 

Power Authority.

Despite having this ammunition, the community was unsuccessful in lobbying to change the 

destination to Albany in the 2003 EAS bidding round. As a result, MESA continued to fly planes 

that were largely empty, while local travelers incurred the added costs, frustration and time to 

drive to airports or destinations that they could not reach from their own local airport.
Page 9 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

Frustration with MESA, as well as the efforts of a local entrepreneur, eventually led to a more 

organized, aggressive and collaborative effort to improve air service in Massena. Efforts were 

given a significant boost in July 2004, when the entrepreneur used his personal connections 

with Bombardier to bring a small jet into Massena which was used to take community leaders 

from throughout St. Lawrence County on a round trip flight to Binghamton; this “consciousness 

raising” effort woke up the region to the possibility that better air service could be had, and led 

directly to the founding of the St. Lawrence Valley Air Task Force.

Co-chaired by the Business Development Corporation for a Greater Massena and the St. 

Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce, the Air Task Force eventually numbered 20 and 

included representation from multiple local governments, county interests, educational 

institutions, unions, travel agencies and economic development agencies. 

The Air Task Force operated from 2004 to 2009, and initiated a number of air service 

development efforts, which are summarized in the next section. Most importantly, the Task 

Force served as the coordinating entity for joint meetings of all five EAS airports in the region to 

work together in transitioning EAS service in the region from MESA’s requirement to serve 

Pittsburgh to a different, more favored destination. In the next round of EAS bidding, the EASserved communities in the region jointly backed Big Sky Airlines and its proposal to service 

Boston. Big Sky began offering four roundtrip flights to Boston with connecting service through 

Delta, on Beechcraft 1900D turboprops, from Massena and the four other EAS airports in the 

region in April of 2007. 

Big Sky’s arrival was well received – the official launch event in Massena drew a standing room 

only crowd, and ticket sales at the introductory price of $99 were strong. Unfortunately, there 

were also early indicators that Big Sky had bitten off more than it could chew in expanding into 

the northeast – its relationship with Delta proved to be problematic, and internal changes at Big 

Sky, including the loss of key personnel, soon began to impact customer service. Air Task Force 

members met as early as late May to resolve concerns, but the problems continued to grow 

throughout the summer and fall. By the end of the year, financial difficulties, weather 

problems in Boston, difficulty in booking flights through Delta’s reservation system, customer 

complaints, political fallout, and negative media coverage all combined to create a “perfect 

storm” that shut down Big Sky’s northeast service offerings in December of 2007. 

Air Task Force organizers mobilized over the year-end holidays to advocate for affected 

passengers, keep the community informed, and coordinate region-wide efforts between staff 

members of federal elected officials, NYS DOT, all affected airport owners, and the U.S. DOT to 

secure a new provider. 

Cape Air was retained as the new EAS carrier in March of 2008, and began phasing in their 

service at all airports in the North Country region. For Massena, this meant a start date of 

September, 2008. After eight months without any flights at all, local residents were welcoming, 

especially due to Cape Air’s decision to finally provide travelers out of Massena with their 

destination of choice, by offering direct flights to Albany. After the negative experience with 

Big Sky, travelers were also more willing to accept Cape Air’s 9-seat planes, even though this 

was a smaller craft than many travelers preferred.
Page 10 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

Enplanement data for Massena from January of 2000 to July of 2010 reflects the fluctuating 

numbers experienced at the end of the MESA years, the positive and negative response of the 

community to Big Sky at the start and finish of its service to Massena, and the growth in 

enplanement numbers that the Albany destination, reliable service, and good customer service 

of Cape Air have generated.

MONTHLY PASSENGER ENPLANEMENT REPORT (2000 compared to 2003 - 2010)

MASSENA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, MASSENA, NY

MESA No Srvc.

MESA MESA MESA MESA MESA Big Sky Cape Air Cape Air Cape Air

2000 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

January 300 220 238 312 252 197 0 270 260

February 293 187 271 317 240 177 0 267 234

March 318 204 270 372 274 193 0 285 269

1st QTR 911 611 779 1001 766 567 0 822 763

April 262 226 265 369 224 164 0 274 296

May 306 195 258 372 281 245 0 257 269

June 291 197 262 305 272 237 0 217 261

2nd QTR 859 618 785 1046 777 646 0 748 826

July 282 295 307 359 323 194 0 286 291

August 350 240 340 332 361 198 0 272

September 291 246 325 300 290 197 113 246

3rd QTR 923 781 972 991 974 589 113 804 291

October 373 318 374 308 264 192 303 324

November 333 238 356 299 232 138 305 335

December 271 234 321 247 172 73 296 284

4th QTR 977 790 1051 854 668 403 904 943 0

Total Pax 3670 2800 3587 3892 3185 2205 1017 3317 1880

As Cape Air began providing service under an emergency order, the EAS contract for Massena, 

as well as the other EAS served airports in the North Country, is now being rebid. Cape Air and 

Gulfstream have both submitted proposals. While Cape Air’s enplanements remain strong, and 

its customer satisfaction rates and reliability are high, Gulfstream’s offer to provide service to 

Boston, on larger planes, while maintaining Albany flights at a nearby EAS airport, was seen by a 

variety of community leaders and local residents as a means to move air service in Massena to 

the next level. Ultimately, the Massena Town Board voted 4-1 in favor of Gulfstream’s 

proposal, while acknowledging some reservations about the airline’s financial condition, and 

while recognizing the role Cape Air played in restoring confidence in Massena’s airport after Big 

Sky folded. No matter which provider is approved, Massena will work with the carrier to 

increase EAS enplanements to a level that will demonstrate to carriers that the community has 

a sufficient base of air travelers to warrant their consideration for non-EAS service.
Page 11 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

Local Air Service Development Efforts and Results, 2004 to 2009

The St. Lawrence Valley Air Task Force was founded in August of 2004 to “establish affordable, 

convenient and sustainable air service in Massena to serve the St. Lawrence County, Franklin 

County, Akwesasne, and Canadian markets.” The Air Task Force was formed by a Steering 

Committee whose members included the Town of Massena, the Business Development 

Corporation for a Greater Massena (BDC), the Greater Massena Chamber of Commerce, the St. 

Lawrence County Board of Legislators, St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce – Economic 

Development Committee, St. Lawrence County IDA, the Merwin Rural Services Institute of 

SUNY Potsdam, the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe, and community member air service advocates.

The BDC and County Chamber agreed to co-chair the Task Force, with the BDC providing 

staffing services. Eventually, the Air Task Force grew to 20 individuals, with representatives 

from St. Lawrence University, SUNY Canton, the Canton Office of Economic Development, the 

Town and Village of Malone, and an area labor union representative and travel agent joining 

during the time period the Task Force facilitated airport development efforts for Massena. 

In addition to facilitating the transition in EAS service providers from MESA to Cape Air, and 

managing the crisis caused by the shut down of Big Sky Airlines, the Air Task Force completed

the following air service development efforts between August 2004 and September 2009:

 Retained a technical consultant to issue an RFP for air service development efforts, to 

evaluate responses to the RFP, and to recommend the best professional firm for the 

community.

 Contracted with Innova Aviation to conduct a market survey, to make the case for 

concentrating air travel in Massena, and to write and administer a U.S. DOT Small 

Community Air Service Development Program grant to advance airport development 

efforts.

 Secured and implemented the $400,000 SCASDGP grant to pursue sustainable, nonsubsidized air service for the Massena International Airport, to conduct outreach with 

carriers on behalf of the community, and to initiate a marketing effort for the airport.

 Contributed $150,000 in cash investment and $250,000 in in-kind services to advance the 

goals of the grant.

 Established the relationships that led to the formation of the North Country Airport Alliance 

– this is a group of EAS-served airports working together on EAS issues and common airport 

concerns.

 Orchestrated a “sales pitch” luncheon event with the President of Big Sky, while customer 

services were being addressed behind the scenes, to encourage the airline to move beyond 

EAS service; participants included Alcoa, the New York Power Authority, all four colleges 

and universities, Massena Memorial Hospital, and Cornwall economic development and 

tourism officials This was a good dress rehearsal for additional market presentations to be 

made in the future with more solid candidates.
Page 12 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

 Educated major travel users, such as the colleges and universities, on the benefits of 

concentrating their air travel at the Massena International Airport, in order to increase its 

enplanement numbers to a level that will facilitate transition out of the EAS system

 Developed working relationships with Canadian and Mohawk economic development, 

tourism and chamber representatives, by using the BDC-led pilot effort to establish an 

international economic development partnership as a platform for generating regional 

interest and support for using Massena’s airport as an economic development tool to 

advance the border region.

 Developed professional promotional materials and launched a major, introductory 

advertising/marketing effort for the Massena International Airport in Canada, Northern 

New York communities, Akwesasne, and with major travel users such as the colleges. 

Efforts included the development of a new airport logo, website, rack cards, banners, 

events for Canadian travel professionals, media campaigns, and promotion of the Massena 

Airport at consumer and business shows.

 Facilitated the introduction of Cape Air to the region, helping it to establish its brand, and 

relationships with key market segments and community leaders.

Air Service Development at Massena International Airport

Key Results – 2004-2010

 Secured flights to Albany, a top destination for local air travelers

 Gained a foothold in the Canadian market

 Increased awareness among community leaders and major travel users of 

how to work with the air service industry

 Developed a cooperative, rather than confrontational, relationship with EAS 

carriers

 Restored public confidence after eight months without any service

 Secured the highest level of enplanements among all EAS airports in the 

region

 Enplanements by Cape Air have increased by 10% over 2009 numbers to date
Page 13 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

Description of Local Air Service Needs/Deficiencies

The work done by the St. Lawrence Valley Air Task Force, with guidance from professional air 

industry consultants under the 2005 U.S. DOT grant, identified six major needs and deficiencies 

which would be positively impacted by increasing enplanement numbers for EAS service:

1. Massena’s airport needs a runway extension to attract jet service; greater enplanement 

numbers will help to attract a jet carrier and to justify federal investment to lengthen 

the runway.

2. Massena is currently serving less than 10% of the enplanements in the total extended 

catchment area. While the catchment area is large enough to maintain a sustainable air 

service market, non-EAS carriers want to see higher enplanement figures before they 

will invest in the community.

3. The existing nine-seat plane service is seen as adequate, but not ideal, especially by 

passengers not comfortable with flying in smaller aircraft with a single pilot on board; 

the best way to convince the current EAS provider to bring in larger craft, or to retain a 

carrier offering larger planes, is by filling as many seats as possible. 

4. Improved air service will allow major drivers for economic development, that are now 

dependent on a “driving” market, to increase their impact on the local and regional

economy; continual contacts and promotional efforts are needed to encourage major 

travel users to concentrate their air traffic at the Massena Airport so that the 

sustainable service level can be reached.

5. While Massena’s “hassle free” airport experience and lower fares are attractive to 

Canadian travelers, they need to be sold on supporting the existing EAS service as a first 

step to attracting larger planes making direct flights to vacation destinations or a major 

hub. 

6. Massena will need to secure the support and cooperation of Canadian and Mohawk 

leaders in order to achieve its goal of sustainable service. Based on our experience with 

the major travel users on the U.S. side, positioning air service in Massena as a regional 

economic development tool, and incorporating support for the EAS service into regional 

economic development strategies, is the best way to achieve this.
Page 14 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

The Strategic Plan we have developed to address these needs and deficiencies is based upon 

reaching or surpassing a level of 5,000 annual enplanements, to be achieved by increasing 

enplanements by 10-12% per year, over a three-year period.

This calculation is based on the following:

 Cape Air’s load factor in 2009 was about 33.7%, based on 3 daily flights 7 days per week.

 MESA achieved 3,892 enplanements on a 19-seater aircraft in 2005, the year in which US

Airways substantially de-hubbed Pittsburgh, transferring many of its flights to Philadelphia 

International Airport.

 Traffic in the following years at Massena declined to 3,185 enplanements in 2006, then to 

2,205 in 2007, and was discontinued altogether with the demise of Big Sky Airlines in 

January of 2008 (having only commenced service in the second quarter of 2007).

 Since beginning service in September of 2008, Cape Air achieved enplanements of 1,017 in 

its first five start-up months, and in its first full calendar year of operation, 2009, brought 

enplanements back up to 3,317. Service in 2010 is running at approximately 10% above 

2009 levels (year over year). 

 Accordingly, if Cape Air (or its successor) continues to grow at a rate of 10 to 12% per year 

over the next three years, it is reasonable to assume that enplanements could reach a level 

of approximately 5,000 enplanements during that period, if an active promotion and 

marketing effort is put into place.

To help develop marketing and promotion messages for specific markets, and to measure the 

results and effectiveness of the campaign, there is also a significant need for research and data 

collection. Specific information needs include:

 More detailed data and analysis of the air service needs, interests, destinations, and airport 

choice of those in the Massena catchment area, particularly those on the Canadian side.

 Cost comparisons between Massena and other airports, based on the findings above.

 How best to market the existing EAS service to passengers on both sides of the border 

within the catchment area, as measured by data development and analysis.
Page 15 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

Strategic Plan for Increasing EAS Enplanements

Goal: Massena will implement a three-year “Fly Massena” Campaign to meet or exceed 5,000

EAS enplanements annually, through a 10 to 12% increase, per year, over a three-year period.

Project Components:

Year 1 – Region-wide Marketing

 Develop and launch three year marketing campaign in U.S./Mohawk/Canadian media

 Upgrade airport website and implement viral marketing campaign

Year 2 – Targeted Promotions to Key Market Segments

 Implement “Fly Massena” events/promotions in these primary target markets:

1. Massena community

2. Four colleges/universities – St. Lawrence, Clarkson, SUNY Potsdam, SUNY Canton

3. City of Cornwall, Ontario and immediate surrounding areas

4. St. Regis Mohawk Akwesasne community

5. Malone/Northern Franklin County/Northern St. Lawrence County communities

 Adapt marketing campaign to link with “Fly Massena” events/promotions as they are developed

Year 3 – Economic Development Promotions and Expansion of Marketing into Outlying Areas

 Joint Massena/Cornwall event, hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Canada, focused 

on integrated development of the Massena and Cornwall airports, and the ways in which boosting 

EAS numbers at Massena can enhance economic development border strategies

 Develop joint Massena BDC/St. Lawrence County IDA economic development events/promotions 

that include a focus on the Massena airport/EAS service offered

 Expand marketing to include penetration into the Ottawa/Montreal areas included in or which have 

influence on the Cornwall/surrounding Ontario communities segment of our catchment area

Years 1-3 – Research and Data Collection

 Data/analysis of air service needs, interests, destinations, and airport choices of those in the 

Massena catchment area, especially on the Canadian side

 Cost comparisons between Massena and other airports, based on the findings above

 Data development and analysis to determine best methods for marketing existing EAS service on 

both sides of the border within the catchment area

The unanticipated difficulties experienced during our 2005 SCASDGP grant reduced the amount 

of time and money allocated for marketing; we did not get beyond introducing the Massena 

Airport to Canadian travelers, and periodic promotions to major U.S. travel users. Promotion 

was seriously deterred by the customer service problems and eventual closure of Big Sky 

Airlines, the time lag before a replacement carrier began service, and the temporary closure of 

the Seaway International Bridge. This application requests funds for a multi-year “Fly Massena”

marketing effort which will build on the activities most successful in the past, to introduce

marketing elements outside the scope of our initial grant, such as creative college/community 

events and producing materials in French for Canadian market segments, and to conduct the 

market research/data collection efforts to design an effective campaign and to document 

results.
Page 16 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

Public/Private Partnership Involvement

While the Air Task Force concluded its operation with the end of the 2005 DOT grant, the 

relationships forged, and doors opened, during the grant period provide a strong foundation for 

the marketing objectives in this grant.

The following 10 organizations and institutions were all members of the St. Lawrence Valley Air 

Task Force or involved in promotions under our 2005 DOT grant; all have agreed to work with 

us on Massena EAS marketing promotions as they relate to their area of interest:

1. Business Development Corporation for a Greater Massena

2. Clarkson University

3. Greater Massena Chamber of Commerce

4. Malone Chamber of Commerce

5. St. Lawrence County Chamber of Commerce

6. St. Lawrence County Industrial Development Agency

7. St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Office of Economic Development

8. SUNY Canton

9. SUNY Potsdam

10. Village of Massena

Each of the above will be submitting an individual letter of support to U.S. DOT, confirming 

their interest in being part of the partnership aspects of our EAS marketing campaign. 

Partnership involvement will consist of:

 Assistance in planning events/promotions in support of existing EAS service

 Input into marketing materials for the target markets they are associated with

 Guidance and assistance, as appropriate, for data collection and market research efforts

A key focal point will be promotions on all four college/university campuses – three of the 

region’s educational institutions have already committed to working with us; the fourth, St. 

Lawrence University, was unable to commit by the grant deadline due to the start of the school 

year but will be discussing their involvement with the project with us in September. 

Creative promotional strategies will especially be targeted to the college/university audiences; 

our starting list of ideas includes a student film competition using an EAS plane as a setting; 

“Fly with a Future Star”, a chance for students enrolled at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of 

Music to win a private flight; and an “Art in the Air” competition for arts students to create a 

plane exterior design. College or community-based promotions could also be done as benefits, 

such as a “Shakes on a Plane” promotion in which we would try to fill an entire plane with 

milkshake cups; cups (unused!) would be donated by area fast food restaurants, one for each 

milkshake purchased over a set period, with a portion of the cost donated to local charities; we 

would also speak with the EAS carrier about donating ticket as prizes for events/promotions.
Page 17 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

In addition, we have recruited an 11th and new partner, the American Chamber of Commerce in 

Canada, which will be assisting with the promotions in Canada, particularly the joint 

Massena/Cornwall economic development event focusing on increasing enplanements in 

Massena, and improving the Cornwall airport for Canadian destinations. The “AmCham” will also 

be sending a letter of support confirming their involvement.

At the point grant funding is awarded, we will act upon our initial outreach to the City of 

Cornwall, and the Canadian members of the international economic development group that met 

during the first grant period. Again, Canadian marketing numbers are the key to the 

enplanement thresholds we are working to reach, and a “win-win” approach will, over time, 

provide air travelers in the region with two great airports, going to different destinations in the 

U.S. from Massena and in Canada from Cornwall, that will enhance the economic development of 

both communities and the international border region where we are located.

Project Budget and Funding Sources

The Town of Massena is seeking $300,000 in federal funding and will provide $100,000 in local, 

cash match support, for a total project budget of $400,000.

Budget dollars are allocated as follows:

Media/web marketing campaign $150,000

Outreach events to key target markets $50,000

Joint economic development promotions $50,000

Market research/data collection/marketing firm $100,000

Local coordinator services/grant administration $50,000

Total $400,000

The Town’s contribution will be provided by “gaming compact” monies collected and 

administered by New York State, which, by law must be used for community marketing and 

economic development purposes. This is a stable source of funding which the Town intends to 

commit annually to continue the marketing, events and economic development approaches 

undertaken under this grant which prove to be the most successful.

The Town of Massena, as the government entity which owns the Massena International Airport, 

will be the legal sponsor for administering our SCASDGP grant project. Expenses will be 

monitored to document that Town and DOT funds are being expended in the manner proposed. 

Project activities will be managed by a Local Coordinator and advised by an air service consultant. 

A marketing firm will be retained to develop a marketing plan, based on the project components 

in our Strategic Plan, which will include milestones to be achieved and the time frame for 

meeting them; in particular, enplanement numbers will be monitored closely to monitor progress 

toward achieving the annual percentage increases and 5,000 level by the end of the grant period. 
Page 18 of 18 – Town of Massena SCASDGP – Submitted August 27, 2010

Conclusion

The Town of Massena is excited about the prospect of continuing to market and promote the 

Essential Air Service offered at the Massena International Airport. 

We are pleased by the traction we have made in enplanement numbers under our current EAS 

carrier. It is our firm belief that with support from our private partners, and new funding from 

the Small Community Air Service Development Grant Program, we will be able to reach 

enplanement levels that will more nearly fill the aircraft operated by our EAS provider. 

Our long-term goal is to achieve the levels of enplanements needed to, at some reasonable point 

to in the future, eventually seek out and secure sustainable service that will meet the needs and 

interests of the air travelers we serve, and which will be a catalyst for the economic growth of our 

community and region. 
Application from the Town of Massena, New York

Submitted August 27, 2010

APPENDIX B

Page 1

SMALL COMMUNITY AIR SERVICE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

DOCKET DOT-OST-2010-0124

SUMMARY INFORMATION

All applicants must submit this information with their proposal, along with a completed form SF424 on 

http://www.grants. gov.

A. APPLICANT INFORMATION: (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

  Not a Consortium  Interstate Consortium  Intrastate Consortium

 XX Community now receives EAS subsidy

 XX Community (or Consortium member) previously received a Small Community Grant

 If previous recipient: Date of grant: September 13, 2005

Expiration date of grant: September 12, 2009

B. PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS: (LIST ORGANIZATION NAMES)

 Public Private

 1. Town of Massena 1. Bus. Dev. Corp. for a Greater Massena

 2. 2. Greater Massena Chamber of Commerce

 3. 3. Village of Massena

 4. 4. St. Lawrence County IDA

 5. 5. St. Lawrence County Chamber

 6. St. Regis Mohawk Tribe Econ. Dev. Office

 7. Clarkson University

 8. SUNY Canton

 9. SUNY Potsdam

 10. Malone Chamber of Commerce

 11. American Chamber of Commerce in Canada

C. PROJECT PROPOSAL: (CHECK ALL THAT APPLY)

 XX Marketing  Upgrade Aircraft  New Route

  Personnel  Increase Frequency  Low Fare Service

  Travel Bank  Service Restoration  Subsidy
APPENDIX B

Page 2

  Surface Transportation  Regional Service  Other (specify

  Revenue Guarantee  Launch New Carrier ____________________

  Start Up Cost Offset  First Service ____________________

  Subsidy  Secure Additional Carrier ___________

D. EXISTING LANDING AIDS AT LOCAL AIRPORT:

 XX Full ILS XX Outer/Middle Marker XX Published Instrument Approach

 XX Localizer  Other (specify)

E. PROJECT COST:

 1. Federal amount requested: $300,000

 2. State cash financial contribution:

 3. Local cash financial contribution...

 3a. Airport cash funds:

3b. Non-airport cash funds: $100,000

3c. Total local cash funds (3a. -I- 3b.): $100,000

 4. TOTAL CASH FUNDING (1. + 2. + 3c.): $400,000

 5. Local funds contributed from already-existing

 programs or projects included in line 3c. amount:

 6. Local funds contributed from new commitments

 or new resources included in line 3c. amount: $100,000

 7. Airport In-Kind contribution:

 (amount & description)

 8. Other In-Kind contribution:

 (amount & description)

 9. TOTAL IN-KIND CONTRIBUTION (7. + 8.): $0

10. TOTAL PROJECT COST (4. + 9.): $400,000

Note: We will look for ways we can leverage other dollars throughout the grant period, such as 

advertising promotions that include additional ads at no cost for certain package and, in-kind 

contributions for events from our project partners (refreshments, printing, etc.). We will also approach 

our EAS carrier to invest in these efforts as well (free tickets for drawings, etc.) We will include 

information on the value of any additional investment leveraged in our DOT reports. 
APPENDIX B

Page 3

F. ENPLANEMENTS:

 2000 3,670 2004 3,587 2008 1,017 *

 2001 3,019 2005 3,892 2009 3,317

 2002 2,689 2006 3,185

 2003 2,823 2007 2,205

*September-December figures only; due to the shut down of the carrier providing EAS service, there were no flights 

from January-August of 2008.

G. IS APPLICATION SUBJECT TO REVIEW BY STATE UNDER EXEC. ORDER 12372 PROCESS?

 a. This application was made available to the State under the Executive Order 12372 Process for

 review on (date) ________________.

 b. Program is subject to E.O. 12372, but has not been selected by the State for review.

XX c. Program is not covered by E.O. 12372.

H. IS THE APPLICANT DELINQUENT ON ANY FEDERAL DEBT? (IF "YES", EXPLAIN)

XX No  Yes (explain) _______________________________________