The Future of Chautauqua County Airports
During a recent county legislature committee meeting, legislator Bob Scudder raised a valid question – what is the county’s plan for the Chautauqua County Airports? He expressed his frustration with the tendency to conduct studies and then set them aside without a clear plan of action. Scudder believes that more focus should be placed on developing a comprehensive plan for the airports.
Currently, the county’s plan, which is revisited every five years, is to apply for an Essential Air Service designation from the federal government. This was done earlier this year, but there has been no decision made by the federal government yet. Given the current political climate and President Donald Trump’s recent budget and policy bill, it is unlikely that the federal government will choose to invest in passenger air service in Chautauqua County.
Despite this uncertainty, the airports have seen an increase in activity. According to James Machemer, the county’s new airport director, there has been a significant increase in fuel purchases compared to previous years. As of May, $2,115 worth of fuel had been purchased in Jamestown, nearly double the amount from May 2024. In Dunkirk, $1,498 worth of fuel had been purchased, up from $1,392 in May 2024. In addition, there have been 1,200 arrivals and departures in Jamestown and 398 in Dunkirk, with 74 jet operations in Jamestown and 30 in Dunkirk.
Machemer also noted that there has been a significant amount of corporate traffic, particularly on Fridays and Mondays, with people coming to the area for tourism and the lake. This indicates that there is a demand for private air traffic in the county.
The overall trend for the airports has remained consistent in recent years – there is a significant amount of private activity, especially in Jamestown with an average of 6. 7 flights per day. However, without Essential Air Service, the question arises as to whether the airports are worth continued investment. This is the main concern for county lawmakers, but luckily they have time to address it. The county currently has a large surplus, so the issue of spending on the airports is not an immediate problem like it was with the Chautauqua County Home.
It is unlikely that the county will be able to generate enough air traffic to meet federal requirements for commercial air service subsidies. However, there is potential for growth in private air traffic. This is where the county should focus its planning efforts, in order to develop a sustainable future for the Chautauqua County Airports.