Vermont airport still trying for Boston route

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March 23, 2009

Anonymous The Press Republican Mon Mar 23, 2009, 07:07 AM EDT

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Federal subsidies are helping small airports land Boston service, but Burlington International Airport doesn't qualify because it's too big.

Airport officials estimate a Burlington to Boston route could support 100 passengers a day, but there hasn't been any service between the two cities for more than a year.

"The economy is a hurdle right now to get any airline to start any new service anywhere," said Brian Searles, Burlington International's aviation director. But establishing a Boston route remains "our No. 1 priority, not withstanding the bad economy," he said.

Because the airport is defined as a small hub, it does not qualify for the federal Essential Air Service Program, which last year paid Cape Air $5.9 million to provide Boston air service to Rutland, two upstate New York airports and Lebanon, N.H.

Burlington airport officials have talked with Cape Aire about the Boston route, but no agreement is on the horizon, Searles said.

"I would imagine they're going to continue to do business where they can have revenue guarantees, and not where they have to take risk."

Michelle Haynes, spokeswoman for the Hyannis, Mass.-based airlines, said the company has not studied the route or crunched any numbers but said the fact that the route would not be subsidized doesn't mean it wouldn't be considered.

"We fly to lots of destinations without subsidies," she said. "We are not, by any means, a subsidized airline."

JetBlue Airways, which flies from Rutland to Boston, said it is in no hurry to start service from Burlington. Instead, it's focused on new route development in the Caribbean.

"Someday we may see service on the Burlington-to-Boston route as we continue to expand our Boston focus city," said spokesman Sebastian White. "But it's not in the cards right now."