Binghamton airport reducing flights in January: Here's how long it will last Greater Binghamton Regional Airport schedule offers fewer flights in January, which will likely lead to a greater revenue shortfall for Broome County.

Show Caption Hide Caption VIDEO: Subsidies to airport increase, ridership falls Each round trip in 2017 cost taxpayers roughly $2.11, a more than sixfold increase from the $0.32 they cost in 2016.

Come January, it will become even more difficult to book an airline seat out of Greater BInghamton Regional Airport.

Delta, the sole air service provider at the local airstrip, is trimming one weekday and Sunday flight from the schedule, reducing service from three flights daily to two, and Saturday service from two flights to a single trip as of January.

The change is termed a seasonal schedule adjustment, according to SkyWest Airline, the commuter operator that runs Delta's Binghamton-to-Detroit service. Three weekday and Sunday flights, and two Saturday flights return in March and April, based on the currently available timetables.

"The standard winter schedule for BGM becomes effective once again this year in January and February," SkyWest said in a prepared statement released Tuesday night. "We anticipate a return to the regular schedule for the spring and summer months."

Starting in January, Delta's schedule has two weekday and Sunday flights. The 90-minute flights leave Binghamton for Delta's Detroit hub at 5:45 a.m. and 5:39 p.m. Two-hour flights from Detroit to Binghamton are scheduled to depart at 3:40 p.m. and 10:20 p.m.

Through the end of December, Delta has three weekday and Sunday flights from Binghamton to Detroit at 5:55 a.m., 12:55 p.m. and 5:55 p.m. Weekday and Sunday flights from Detroit to Binghamton through December are scheduled to depart at 10:25 a.m., 3:45 p.m. and 8:49 p.m.

On Saturdays starting in January, just one flight will be scheduled for the Binghamton-to-Detroit route — 9:20 a.m. outbound and 8:42 p.m. inbound.

Before the seasonal schedule adjustment, Saturday flights departed Binghamton at 9:15 a.m. and 12:55 p.m., and Detroit at 10:10 a.m. and 8:49 p.m.

The cutback will trim the number of weekday and Sunday seats available from 150 to 100, and 50 seats on Saturday.

Then, in March and April, according to schedules now in place, the regular three Sunday and weekday flights, and two Saturday flights return to Binghamton.

United Airlines discontinued flights out of Greater Binghamton Regional Airport to Newark's Liberty International Airport in November 2016. American Airlines, flying into Philadelphia, ended daily service to Binghamton in early 2016.

Though boardings increased from 32,000 in 2017 to 37,000 in 2018, those numbers pale in comparison to years' past. In 1995, 144,000 passengers boarded flights at Greater Binghamton Airport, and as late as 2010, it was 109,000. But that was when three airlines provided multiple trips daily between Detroit, Philadelphia and Dulles, outside of Washington, D.C.

Greater Binghamton Airport is projected to operate at a $1.8 million deficit in 2020, according to the county budget, similar to the expected 2019 revenue shortfall. Fewer flights could mean an even greater deficit at the county-run airport.

Earlier this year, County Executive Jason Garnar said it was time to seriously explore privatizing major aspects of airport operations — management, operation and finances — to determine, after decades of county management, whether experts can lower costs and bring improved service. Since issuing a request for proposal in May, there has been silence on the proposal.

While trimming the annual deficit looms as a large reason for privatization, also a priority for Garnar is expanding service with more airlines and examining the possibility of development on the airport's 300 acres.

Massive consolidation within the airline industry makes the job of attracting a new carrier that much more difficult. It is unclear whether any airline, including discount carriers, have approached the airport with proposals.

That leaves local travelers driving to Ithaca, Syracuse, Wilkes-Barre and Albany for flights, with some even trekking as far afield as Philadelphia, Newark and JFK International — all a three-hour drive — for their flights. With discount carrier Allegiant providing flights to Florida — Punta Gorda, Sanford and St. Petersburg — from Elmira on selected days, that, too, has become an option for fliers headed south.

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