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Governor Cuomo recently announced the opening of a new maintenance and repair hangar at the Albany International Airport in Colonie, Albany County. The $4.2 million hangar, funded mostly through a Regional Economic Development Council grant, will serve CommutAir and is creating approximately 100 well-paying, highly-skilled jobs.

"Albany International Airport is a key part of the transportation network for the Capital Region and beyond, and the completion of this project will ensure that it remains competitive for years to come," Governor Cuomo said. "Regional Council investments like this are creating good jobs, making the area more attractive to businesses and bolstering economic activity through transportation infrastructure improvements.”

The 17,000 square-foot hangar includes a 3,500-square-foot office building, asphalt apron, parking and other renovations. Work on the project started in June of 2014.

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Matthew J. Driscoll said, “Governor Cuomo and the Regional Council saw just how integral Albany International Airport is to our community and their investment is translating into more local jobs and more choices for travelers. CommutAir is a welcome addition to the Capital Region’s transportation system.”

Construction of the CommutAir maintenance hangar was made possible through a $3.8 million state grant, part of Governor Cuomo’s transformative Regional Economic Council initiative to promote economic development. The grant was awarded in 2012 through the competitive funding process. The Albany County Airport Authority is responsible for the balance of project funding.

James J. Barba, Capital Region Economic Development Council Co-Chair and President & CEO of Albany Medical Center, said, “The Albany International Airport is one of our Region’s critical lifelines to the nation and the world. It allows us to transport people and goods elsewhere in support of our economy, and it allows us to attract businesses, business people and tourists to the Region. The Governor’s support of the Airport, through a grant allowing the construction of a new hangar there, further bolsters the Airport’s mission, and it assures its continued growth and vitality. As a co-chair of the Capital Region Economic Development Council, I am sincerely grateful for the Governor’s support of this important facility.”

Rev. Kenneth Doyle, Chairman of the Albany County Airport Authority, said, “We continually seek to cultivate an environment that will enhance air service and create new employment opportunities. We are grateful to Governor Cuomo for the financial assistance that was central to CommutAir’s decision to select Albany International Airport as the site of its substantial maintenance and repair headquarters.”

Congressman Paul Tonko said, “I am very pleased to hear about further development at Albany International – this time with the expansion to the CommutAir hanger. The new jobs and increased services provided by this investment will have a lasting positive impact on the Capital Region and its economy. I thank Governor Cuomo for his continued efforts to bring jobs to the area, and I look forward to working with both his office and the Regional Economic Council to ensure important investments like this continue to make their way into our communities.”

Senator Neil Breslin said, "The continued expansion of Albany International Airport further demonstrates how the Capital Region has become a hub of positive economic activity. Investing in our transportation infrastructure is essential for our region to continue to attract and retain jobs and this expansion is critical to that effort."

Assemblyman Phil Steck said, “Albany International Airport is a significant source of commerce here in the Town of Colonie, and a vital transportation hub for residents throughout the Capital Region. These infrastructure investments will create jobs, boost our local economy, and benefit numerous travelers by providing more accommodating options.”

Albany County Executive Daniel P. McCoy said, "Albany County International Airport may be the first and oldest municipal airport in the country but it continues to attract new business and over 1.2 million passengers travelled through it in 2014. Recent investment announcements from the federal government that are being made to rehab the terminal and roof combined with this announcement of a new maintenance and repair hangar will improve our facility and add jobs. Thank you, Governor Cuomo, for recognizing the importance of Albany International Airport to the region."

The state grant allowed CommutAir to double the size of its maintenance and will allow them to complete more rigorous maintenance checks than it had been. Since 2014, CommutAir has created nearly 100 jobs and is still hiring more workers. The company also trains employees at the Albany facility.

Champlain Enterprises, Inc., operating as CommutAir, previously operated dozens of daily flights out of Albany and housed a maintenance facility at the airport. The company relocated to Cleveland, then decided to return to Albany International Airport in 2014 with flights and a maintenance operation.