Cape Air touts service to business leaders

7 months, 1 week ago by Bob Gough

Airline making effort to help city secure additional federal funding

As Cape Air and the City of Quincy push to hit 10,000 boardings on the Quincy to St. Louis flights, the airline hosted an informational seminar at the Oakley-Lindsay Center on Tuesday.

About 40 people attended the event, which was geared toward local business leaders.

Stacey Putnam Ross, midwest marketing manager for Cape Air, said airline officials have been “very pleased” with Quincy since the company began service in December 2009.

“It’s been such a positive experience,” Ross said. “We are looking forward to serving Quincy for many years to come.”

Ross stressed the benefits of the airline’s service, saying it saves time and money if people need to travel to St. Louis or use the airport to connect from St. Louis for other travel plans.

If Cape Air averages 922 boardings for this month, November and December, Quincy Regional Airport will garner a $1 million federal subsidy that it can use for infrastructure improvements to the facility. The airline is offering a $39 each way ticket on selected flights from Quincy to St. Louis in order to help hit 10,000 enplanements.

Quincy Mayor John Spring said Cape Air has been a good partner and he hopes the airline can eventually begin a Quincy to Chicago flight. Ross said the company is examining that possibility, but it wouldn’t happen until the next Essential Air Service contract is up. The current deal expires in 2015.

“We have to get to Chicago,” Spring said. “We’re making that commitment and Cape is going to try to make that, but it takes $1.5 million annually to secure a gate at O’Hare.”