Picente: Oneida County Launches Air Service Development Study

Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente, Jr. today announced that Oneida County is taking an important step to determine the future of commercial air service from Griffiss International Airport in Rome by hiring an expert consultant to assess the feasibility of launching regularly scheduled, passenger air carrier service at the Airport.

“The goal of our investments at Griffiss is to make Griffiss an economic development engine that can help attract, retain and grow jobs in our region,” Picente said. “The time is right for us to assess the climate for commercial air passenger service and determine a realistic, appropriate course of action based upon the current market for air travel and the expectations and needs of the people and employers of Oneida County.”

Picente said that R. A. Wiedemann & Associates, Inc. has been hired to conduct an Air Service Development (ADS) Study.  The Study will first establish the level of public demand/support for any airline service that would be initiated at Griffiss, and then will determine the feasibility of any options selected for further study. 

Phase 1 of the study will examine the potential demand and usage for a flight route between Griffiss and Dayton, Ohio, to (1) provide a direct route for local Department of Defense agencies and contractors to and from the Wright-Patterson AFB area; and, (2) provide the general public with the option of using Dayton as an alternative connecting hub airport instead of traveling via the New York City area.  Dayton has direct flights to: Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Chicago-O'Hare, Denver, Washington- Dulles, Baltimore/Washington, Orlando, Tampa, Dallas/Fort Worth, Cleveland, Newark, Milwaukee, Charlotte, New York-LaGuardia, Philadelphia, and Washington-Reagan. 

Phase 2 of the study will be directed toward the analysis of airline service factors, passenger flows, airline fares, and route economics.

If air travel to Dayton does not prove feasible, the Study will then examine other potential options that could include direct air service to the New York City area, or seasonal air service to vacation destinations such as Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

“Griffiss Airport has outstanding potential and we want to develop that potential in the right ways to maximize our community’s growth,” Picente said. “As we work to develop the Airport’s potential for air freight and other uses, we would be remiss if we did not fully explore our options for passenger travel. We need a sound, expert analysis as the basis for our decision-making as we move forward. I know there is an interest in having passenger access from Griffiss. This study will tell us whether that interest can translate itself into an economically viable project.”

Picente said that the study will examine input and data from anyone interested in the future of the Airport. He encouraged Oneida County residents and businesses to contact R. A. Wiedemann & Associates, Inc., P.O. Box 621, Georgetown, KY  40324. The company’s Web site is www.rawiedemann.com.