SCHUMER REVEALS: UNDER-THE-RADAR SECTION OF TRUMP’S BUDGET WOULD DECIMATE 5 NORTH COUNTRY AIRPORTS’ ESSENTIAL AIR SERVICE FEDERAL FUNDING, RISKING THEM LOSING CRITICAL FLIGHTS THAT DRIVE THE LOCAL ECONOMY; SENATOR CALLS ON NY HOUSE REPUBLICANS TO STAND UP TO TRUMP & PROTECT NORTH COUNTRY AIRPORTS

Last Week Trump Released Budget Proposal That Would Slash Funding For The Essential Air Service Program By A Whopping 50%, Which Is The Main Federal Funding That Brings Flights To Watertown, Ogdensburg, Plattsburgh, Adirondack Regional And Massena International Airports

Senator Says This Extremely Destructive Cut Would Leave All Major North Country Airports Without The Support They Need To Provide Air Service – And Which Keeps The North Country Connected To National Travel Network

Schumer: The North Country Would Be Hit First And Hardest By Proposed Trump Air-Service Cuts, And We Need NY Republicans To Stand Up To Trump To Ensure These Changes Don’t Clear The Runway And Do Real Harm To The North Country

U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer today revealed that – tucked away in President Trump’s just released budget proposal – is a plan to decimate funding for the federal Essential Air Service (EAS) program by 50%. This program provides vital federal support to bring air service to underserved & rural communities, and specifically to all five of the North Country’s major airports.

Schumer said these cuts would be devastating for the North Country’s residents, universities and businesses and is calling on NY House Republicans to stand up and be vocal in their opposition to the cuts in Trump’s budget and protect this vital program for the North Country economy, which keeps the region connected to desperately-needed flights across the country.

“Trump’s half-baked plan to cut the vital Essential Air Service program will hit the North Country first and hardest. All five of the North Country’s airports rely on the federal EAS program, and without it many would lose these vital flights hurting residents, businesses, universities and hampering tourism, as well,” said Senator Schumer. “I’ve long fought to protect and boost the Essential Air Service program because I know how important it is for our rural communities like the North Country to get access to these flights to boost the local economy and connect area residents and businesses with national and international travel options. Without this program, thousands of North Country residents would be left stranded having to travel hundreds of miles to get air service.”

Schumer added, “That’s why I’m calling on NY House Republicans, including Congresswomen Stefanik and Tenney, whose districts would be impacted more than nearly anywhere else in the country, to stand up against Trump’s budget plan and beat back this very unwise cut. We cannot let these callous cuts clear the runway and blow a crater in North Country airports’ budgets.”

Schumer explained that all five of the airports in New York that rely on EAS are in the North Country and help support flights critically important to the local economy, including:

1. Ogdensburg International Airport: round trip flights to Washington’s Dulles International Airport
2. Massena International Airport: round trip flights to Boston-Logan International Airport
3. Plattsburgh International Airport: round trip flights to Washington’s Dulles International Airport
4. Adirondack Regional Airport: round trip flights to Boston-Logan International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport
5. Watertown International Airport: round trip flights to Philadelphia International Airport

In Trump’s budget proposal he calls to slash the EAS program by over $300 million next year, 50% of the programs budget, gutting support for airports in the North Country. Without these airports, North Country passengers would have to travel hundreds of miles to access air service, for example passengers in Massena would have to travel as much as 256 miles to access air service. In addition to potential loss of air service it would also devastate the local economy and eliminating hundreds of jobs.

The Essential Air Service program was developed after the airline industry was deregulated in 1978. Deregulation gave airlines the freedom to decide which markets to serve and how much to charge for that service. This led to a scarcity of air service in many communities across the country where operating costs were higher and populations were smaller and less dense. The EAS program was put in to place to guarantee air service to these underserved communities. EAS ensures commuter airlines across the country serve rural communities, including Upstate New York.

The EAS program is widely popular and has been incredibly successful in Upstate NY. Schumer last fall announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation named Breeze Airways as Ogdensburg International Airport’s new Essential Air Service carrier. Breeze launched a new direct, daily route from Ogdensburg International Airport to Washington, D.C.’s Dulles Airport in October 2024.

Schumer has worked for years to ensure NY’s airports are adequately funded and in last year’s FAA bill secured an over 111% funding increase per year to strengthen the Essential Air Service (EAS) program and ensure small and rural communities maintain regular commercial service. The bill also makes it harder for airlines to terminate contracts that could leave communities without air service by incentivizing airports to keep their essential air service contracts, protecting families in areas that would not have easy access to an airport without the small one in their community.  

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