Ithaca Tompkins International Airport is set to expand its services, potentially reintroducing direct flights to Washington D.C., thanks to a federal grant.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Kristen Gillibrand announced the airport’s receipt of $750,000 from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Small Community Air Service Development Program. This comes after the airport halted its D.C. flights in September 2022.
The senators, who both penned letters to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in June advocating for the airport’s funding application, emphasized the importance of restoring and expanding its services.
Gillibrand added, “The Ithaca Tompkins International Airport serves thousands of residents and visitors in Tompkins County and throughout the Southern Tier each year…This funding will help bolster economic development and ensure that the transportation needs of area residents and industries are met.”
The airport plays a crucial role in connecting over 200,000 residents in the region, tourists, and notable institutions such as Cornell University and Ithaca College.
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