Roxanne Noble, director of the Ithaca/Tompkins Regional Airport, told the expanded budget committee on Sept. 18 that recent operational changes (in‑house parking management, removal of some contracts and hiring airport maintenance and firefighting staff) have increased revenue and produced savings, but the airport is asking the county to consider a $1,971,000 enhancement to reduce the airport’s cost‑per‑enplanement (CPE) and attract additional airline service.
Why it matters: Noble and staff said airline decisions hinge on CPE comparisons with nearby regional airports. The airport’s 2024 CPE was roughly $30; the airport is proposing steps to lower that toward about $15 as a multi‑year strategy to add routes or increase frequency, which would in turn expand parking, rental‑car and concession revenue and reduce the county’s operating subsidy over time.
Revenue and capital details: Noble estimated parking revenue for 2026 at roughly $425,000 after bringing parking in‑house; landing fees in 2025 are budgeted at about $900,000 (billing through July). She said the airport’s PFC balance stands near $1.5 million and would be applied to capital projects; the airport’s general fund balance has fallen from more than $1M (2023) to about $400k in 2024 after covering customs and other costs.
Budget request and risk: The airport requested a $1.97 million enhancement that would be used to lower airline charges and bring CPE nearer to competitive regional levels; presenters warned that without such an investment CPE could rise toward an estimated $40 and “result in loss of air service.” Noble said early indicators for a third daily flight to Dulles showed strong booking and that current flights are operating at "over 80% load factors." The department and airline‑consultant Matthew Colbert said a staged subsidy tied to marketing and service development is standard practice in air‑service development but acknowledged the approach requires multi‑year commitments and carries fiscal risk if additional service does not materialize.
Questions from legislators: Committee members pressed for more detailed projections linking a subsidy to increased enplanements, parking and rental‑car revenue and to timelines for reducing county support. Legislators also asked about the possibility of reassigning a portion of tourism/hotel tax revenue to the airport; county staff said allocation options exist but require follow‑up work and formal proposals.
Ending: Noble offered to share the airport’s strategic business plan and economic‑impact study and to return with more detailed revenue scenarios for any subsidy option; the committee requested additional data and analysis before deciding on the enhancement.