Plattsburgh International Airport (IATA: PBG, ICAO: KPBG) is located at the former Plattsburgh Air Force Base in Plattsburgh, New York. The airport is owned by Clinton County. The airport's massive facilities have been upgraded to civilian aviation standards and the county fully transitioned here from Clinton County Airport as of June 2007. Passenger service began on June 18, 2007 and Clinton County Airport has been shut down since then. All airline service in Plattsburgh now goes through the airport and local business leaders and officials are currently looking to add other airlines to the airport.
Plattsburgh International was already a fully operating and profitable industrial airport with tenants including Pratt & Whitney, Bombardier, the Department of Homeland Security, Wood Group, and others. Plattsburgh Aeronautical Institute, a major new FAA approved A&P school sponsored by Clinton Community College and Champlain Valley Educational Services, which opened nearby in September of 2009. The airport facilities include a 12,000-foot (3,700 m) runway and a 12,000,000-square-foot (1,100,000 m2) concrete ramp for cargo and aircraft. Plattsburgh also has no night curfews or flight restrictions and enjoys calm weather year around (97% VFR). It is also a Foreign Trade Zone and Empire Zone, making it a virtually tax free zone for many enterprises.
It also has significant multi-modal capabilities, including its own interchange on the Interstate Highway System (Exit 36 of I-87), a direct rail spur from the main Canadian Pacific Railway line between Montreal and New York City; a new railyard on site; and direct rail and highway access to the Port of Montreal just 60 miles (97 km) north. Plattsburgh International has been attempting to promote itself as "Montreal's U.S. Airport," standing just one hour from downtown Montreal.
On September 5, 2007, it was learned that Las Vegas-based airline, Allegiant Air, would offer non-stop flights from Plattsburgh International Airport to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The service began on November 16, 2007. The airline has cited Plattsburgh as an ideal location due to its proximity to Montreal. Allegiant operates a similar situation with Bellingham International Airport in Bellingham, Washington, which is close to Vancouver.
On March 15, 2008, the airport began hosting regular service by Direct Air, offering three direct flights weekly to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The charter airline already had a successful service to Myrtle Beach from Niagara Falls, which has drawn many passengers from Ontario just as Plattsburgh is now doing from Quebec.
The airport is also served by Colgan Air, offering up to three flights daily to Boston.
The airport is also served by Spirit Airlines with non-stop service to Ft. Lauderdale with connections to Caribbean destinations which started on January 14, 2011 and will offer seasonal non-stop flights to Myrtle Beach starting May 5, 2011.
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