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AIRPORT: Niagara Falls International Airport Ready for takeoff(Niagara Gazette (Niagara Falls, N.Y.) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Apr. 13--Rising jet fuel costs. An increasingly hostile business climate. Several small carriers pushed into bankruptcy. As the nation's airlines industry continues to grapple with uncertain times, officials in Niagara County are preparing to break ground on a new $27 million airport terminal. While the timing may not be the best, supporters say they're eager to get moving on the project and are focused on the possibility of brighter days -- not only for the facility, but for the industry as a whole. "It's full speed ahead," said Lawrence Meckler, executive director of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority, the agency overseeing the construction of the new terminal at Niagara Falls International Airport. "We're not going to let some disappointments slow us down." One of those disappointments involved the April 5 shutdown of what was supposed to be one of the Falls airport's newest carriers, Columbus, Ohio-based Skybus Airlines. The company, which had planned to offer low-fare flights from Niagara Falls to Ohio, ceased operations earlier this month amid concerns over the cost of fuel and the sluggish economy. Skybus fits the mold of the type of air carriers the NFTA hopes to attract to its new Falls facility -- lower-cost, carriers, Columbus, Ohio-based Skybus Airlines. The company, which had planned to offer low-fare flights from Niagara Falls to Ohio, ceased operations earlier this month amid concerns over the cost of fuel and the sluggish economy. Skybus fits the mold of the type of air carriers the NFTA hopes to attract to its new Falls facility -- lower-cost, smaller companies serving niche audiences. It also one of four similar-sized airlines to feel the sting of rough financial times in recent weeks. Earlier this month, Honolulu-based Aloha Airlines and ATA Airlines, a low-cost service and charter airline based in Indianapolis, Ind., ceased operations altogether. On Thursday, Denver, Col.-based Frontier Airlines Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company says it plans to continue regular service while it works on its finances. Added to the mix are the cancellations of thousands of flights by American Airlines and other carriers responding to tighter Federal Aviation Administration inspection standards. While industry analysts believe more carriers -- large and small -- are likely to encounter flight delays and financial problems in the coming months, Meckler said he's confident business will pick up again by the time the new Falls terminal comes on line. Meckler said airline industry woes will not impact plans for the new terminal, which is scheduled to open in July 2009. "We need a new terminal, not only for the future, but for now," he said. Part of the cause for the NFTA's optimism over the project is the success of Myrtle Beach Direct, a low-cost carrier that has proven popular among Falls travelers looking for cheap flights south. Empty or near empty for literally years, the parking lot at the Falls airport is getting its share of traffic these days, particularly on weekends as customers take advantage of Myrtle Beach's $99 flights from Western New York to South Carolina. The airlines success points directly to the need for the new terminal, according to Meckler who said the current facility lacks the size and many of the amenities needed to transport passengers efficiently in the post 9-11 climate. It also points to the type of carriers the agency will look to bring to the area as they go about marketing the new terminal. "In order to attract clients, we have to have a new facility," Meckler said. "There's just no doubt about it." State Sen. George Maziarz, R-Newfane, said he, too, believes the airline industry -- much like the nation's economy itself -- will rebound eventually. In the meantime, he said, the Falls airport still offers many advantages to potential carriers, including affordability and the ongoing investment into aircraft development at the nearby Calspan facility off Niagara Falls Boulevard. "I think that is an added insurance policy for us," Maziarz said. As for the future, Meckler said the NFTA plans to continue to aggressively market the Falls location to potential carriers and still has high hopes for Kenny Tours. The Maryland-based company had hoped to begin offering weekly flights from Niagara Falls to Shannon, Ireland in June. The company was forced to postpone its efforts until at least next year because they were unable to secure the aircraft needed to support the service. NFTA officials are now working with the company to begin offering service from the Falls starting in 2009. The NFTA will use $14 million in local casino cash to support the terminal development project. Additional revenue will be supplied by the agency itself as well as other local and state sources. Together, Maziarz and state Assemblywoman Francine DelMonte, D-Lewiston, this week secured an additional $2 million in state aid for the project. "This $2 million brings us ever closer to our goal," Maziarz said. To see more of the Niagara Gazette or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.niagara-gazette.com/. Copyright (c) 2008, Niagara Gazette, Niagara Falls, N.Y. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. |