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The world got a little bigger for Ithacans Monday when Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport welcomed Continental Airlines back into the fold.  "I'm delighted to welcome Continental Connection service from Ithaca to Newark Liberty International Airport," said Airport Manager Bob Nicholas.  "The addition of a third carrier gives local passengers access to four other airports and literally hundreds of national and international destinations."

Local business leaders, press, and airline executives filled the cafe wing of the terminal for the ribbon cutting, which featured Congressman Michael Arcuri, and speakers from the airport's Air Service Board, The Tompkins County Legislature, Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce, Tompkins County Area Development

"I'd like to praise Continental for their commitment to economic expansion here in upstate New York, and opportunity in our region," Arcuri said.  "As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee I have worked closely with the airport to secure federal funds to help make this airport the best that it possibly can be."


Continental Connection adds four flights per day between the Ithaca airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.  Last year the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport serviced more than 170,000 passengers.  Local officials estimate the airport generates over $30 million for the local economy, as well as a half million in sales taxes.

"We're very happy to be back in the Ithaca market," Continental Global Account Manager Scott Hege told the crowd.  "On behalf of Continental Airlines, our 40,0000 employees, and our partners we're very excited to be back.  The four flights that we're going to be operating out of Ithaca will connect to one of the largest hubs in the country, connecting to over a hundred destinations, 27 destinations in Europe, and throughout Asia with our new service into Shanghai.  We have more flights out of New York than any other carrier."


Arcuri has been instrumental in securing more than $8 million in federal funding this year that is being used for three construction projects at the airport, including the extending of the runway safety zone at the north end of the airport.  "I'll continue to work as a member of House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for the Ithaca airport and for our entire region," he said.  "The FAA is under our watch.  The thing about an airport that I think people don't often realize is that it means so much to the economic development of a region.  We are fortunate here.  We have wonderful colleges, but having an airport here certainly helps them make not only our colleges, but our economic development strong."

It wouldn't have been realistic if there hadn't been any glitches.  The original plan was for the ribbon cutting to take place on the tarmac after a Continental Connection flight arrived during the ceremony.  But a plane with a blown tire caused delays in Newark that kept the Continental flight from taking off on time.  That didn't put a damper on the event, however, as Nicholas suggested the assembly imagine their chairs part of a wide bodied jet. 


Arcuri was given the honor of cutting the ribbon.  "I live in Utica, and we are significantly larger than Ithaca," he said.  "Yet we don't have an airport.  This is absolutely a gem of an airport.  You don't realize how fortunate you are to have an airport like this in your community."

"We think this is a great business decision by Continental based on an equally great opportunity," said Michael Stamm, President of Tompkins County Area Development.  "The Ithaca community provides them with thousands of students from Cornell and Ithaca College who use this airport to get to and from their home towns.  Managers and engineers from local manufacturers going to visit customers and suppliers around the world.  Our community also provides an opportunity for venture capitalists to come here from California, Boston, Europe, and Asia to invest in high tech companies.  They all use this airport as a portal to do that and Continental will be able to take advantage of this great economy that we have for their own good business reasons."

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