Chautauqua County officials are going on record to say they want to see commercial air service returned.

During the January legislature meeting, county officials approved a resolution Restoring Passenger Air Service to the Chautauqua County Airport at Jamestown.

The county does not have the authority to bring commercial air service back to Jamestown on its own. Instead it directs the county’s consultants to “aggressively pursue reinstating commercial air service” and requests federal and state representatives to join the county in making it happen.

In December, county officials heard from Evan Berg, the director of Air Service Development & Project Lead who did a study regarding commercial air service at the Chautauqua County Airport – Jamestown.

The study focused on economic and tourism, market demand, and where passengers could come from.

The study was required before the county can seek Essential Air Service funding from the federal government.

The federal government ended Essential Air Service funding in 2018 after the airport did not meet the minimum number of required passengers.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Legislator Fred Larson, D-Jamestown, called air service “an economic development measure” and compared it to I-86.

Larson said it’s important for all county legislators to support the measure.

“We’re asking you to put a flag in the ground that says we want commercial air service/passenger air service back for our county to serve the industries of our area, Chautauqua Institution and the National Comedy Center to name a few,” he said.

The resolution passed unanimously with Legislators Dan Pavlock, R-Ellington, and Tamara Dickey, R-Jamestown, absent.

Larson said he would like to see the Essential Air Service funding restored by the end of the year.

The study noted that if Essential Air Service does not return, there are other ways of funding commercial air service, but it would be a lot more challenging and expensive. During a committee meeting earlier this month, Larson said he doesn’t believe commercial air service will ever return without the Essential Air Service designation from the federal government.