TMCnet News
Watertown International Airport gets $235,000 in marketing funds [Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.](Watertown Daily Times (NY) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Sept. 29--WATERTOWN -- U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten E. Gillibrand announced $235,000 in federal discretionary funding for the Watertown International Airport Monday -- money that will be spent on a community outreach and marketing program, according to airport officials. "This will help us develop some more creative plans for advertising and marketing and also allow us to measure the effectiveness of the ads we're utilizing," said Airport Manager Grant W. Sussey. The money was awarded through the Small Community Air Service Development Program, a Department of Transportation initiative that aims to increase service to and use of small community airports. The Watertown International Airport is part of the Essential Airport Service, which provides a subsidy to the airline -- American Airlines -- that provides service to the airport. Under DOT guidelines, EAS airports can only use funds from the Small Community Air Service Development Program for marketing and promotion projects. The Watertown International Airport switched destination cities from Chicago to Philadelphia at the beginning of May after a merger between American Airlines and US Airways brought the change. Since then, the number of passengers arriving at and departing from the airport has increased dramatically -- the numbers were up 14 percent in July and 17 percent in August compared to the same period last year -- and officials have been working to capitalize on the momentum. Cooler weather in the fall and winter have brought the use of a smaller plane -- a 37-seat Dash 8 turboprop aircraft -- that can take off and land on the airport's 6,000 foot runway. Eminent domain proceedings are underway to secure an additional 1,000 feet of runway and the 2,500 feet of safety clearance required by the Federal Aviation Administration. The longer runway would allow larger planes to take off and land year-round, according to officials. The eminent domain proceedings were contested, and as the matter makes its way through the courts, county officials are working to market the airport as a convenient alternative for Canadian and business travelers. Mr. Sussey, the airport manager, said that the airport will use the DOT funds to work with American Airlines in reaching out to potential Canadian and corporate passengers. ___ (c)2014 Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, N.Y.) Visit Watertown Daily Times (Watertown, N.Y.) at www.watertowndailytimes.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |