Delta Air Lines nearly ceased all flights from Greater Binghamton Airport (BGM) in Broome County, New York State, located roughly eight miles north of Binghamton, a small city with a population under 50,000. The airport would have stopped having regularly scheduled commercial flights, as Delta was the only commercial operator after United Airlines pulled out in 2016 and American in 2017.
The Announcement
In the closing moments of last year, Delta’s decision became public. It was confirmed that the service would cease on February 14, 2026. The carrier has committed to re-accommodating all passengers who had booked to fly past this date. Greater Binghamton Airport’s Commissioner of Aviation, Mark Heefner, released a statement reacting to the news and explaining why the decision had been made. He said, per WBNG, that:
“Air service decisions involve many factors that are outside the control of local airports and communities. We are in active discussions with Delta and are working closely with our state, local, and federal partners to re-establish passenger service as soon as possible. We also continue to have meetings with multiple airlines as we explore opportunities to expand air service at BGM.”
Heefner added that “our focus remains on providing reliable, accessible air travel options for the people and businesses of the Greater Binghamton region.” Before this change, Delta operated two services a day at Binghamton. A flight would come in from Detroit in the early afternoon, after which the ground crew would execute a speedy turnaround, and a Delta service back to Detroit would take off about an hour later.
How BGM Hoped To Survive Delta’s Departure
Delta’s initial decision to move away from BGM would have represented a significant revenue loss for the small airport, but it was keen to find opportunities for growth. BGM hoped that airlines would be attracted by the federal funds that are made available for airlines that decide to operate at rural airports. Heefner told Binghamton Homepage that “I think there is an opportunity. I think if someone maintains the course and looks down the road, in a year or so, I think there’s going to be better service overall.”
That is because, while carriers are unlikely to move into an airport that already has commercial services, the chance to be the exclusive operator can be enticing. The airport has also invested a significant amount of capital to make BGM more attractive. It bought a fixed-base operator in 2024, which allows it to offer fueling and ground handling to any new airlines coming in. The airport has also made a $54 million renovation, aided by a $6 million grant from taxpayers.
Delta’s potential departure was also concerning for employees, with those working for Delta now facing potential redundancy. The future was also unclear for the airport’s TSA operatives, rental car companies, and the 20 staff hired by the airport.
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The carrier will make its Atlanta service a year-round flight next March.
The Impact Of Removing Passenger Safeguards
Last November, the Department of Transportation ended rules imposed by the Joe Biden administration that required airlines to automatically reimburse passengers when their flights were delayed or canceled. The regulation required airlines to pay delayed passengers $200 to $775, depending on the length of the delay, and cover hotel rooms and meals if the delay or cancellation was their fault. Such consumer protections have long been expected in Europe and Canada.
The rule ended in November 2025, citing “unnecessary regulatory burdens.” Airlines can now decide what compensation is appropriate, so passengers will have to fill out claim forms and negotiate with customer service. Airlines for America, a lobbying firm that represents major US carriers, including Delta, welcomed the decision, saying in 2024 that the rules were “unnecessary and burdensome regulations that exceed its authority and don’t solve issues important to our customers.”
Delta had planned alternative arrangements for passengers who booked flights to and from Binghamton Airport. However, the change in rules under this administration and its broader moves towards deregulation raised concerns that other airlines abandoning rural airports could leave their passengers high and dry.
A Reversal That Prevented Commercial Isolation
Following discussions between the airport, state officials, and the airline, Delta ultimately reversed its decision, opting to maintain service at BGM. While the carrier has not detailed all the factors behind the U-turn, the move prevented the airport from losing its last scheduled passenger flight, a scenario that would have had significant consequences for the region.
For Binghamton, the reversal bought critical time. Losing Delta would not only have meant reduced connectivity for residents and businesses, but also would have made attracting a replacement carrier significantly more difficult. Airlines are often reluctant to enter markets where passenger demand has already collapsed due to a prolonged absence of service.
Delta’s reversal spared Greater Binghamton Airport from becoming commercially isolated, but the episode underscored just how fragile air service has become for smaller US communities. While the airport remains operational for now, its experience mirrors that of many regional facilities fighting to stay connected in an increasingly centralized airline network.
Delta had not thought about departing BGM in a vacuum. Instead, the scenario reflects broader industry shifts that have become a significant challenge for America’s regional airports. Carriers are now shifting their resource allocation to focus on the highest-demand routes. For communities in areas like the Southern Tier, the region of New York where BGM is located, passengers are now staring down the barrel of long drives to reach a larger airport.
Although potentially abandoning communities would undoubtedly make carriers unpopular, they have a number of understandable reasons to justify such decisions. There is industry pressure to streamline arising from ongoing pilot shortages, limited aircraft availability, and ever-increasing operational costs.
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The U-turn came after sustained lobbying from New York politicians.
Avelo Airlines: Another Airline That Struggled At Binghamton
Recent years have also seen a shift towards low-cost carriers, putting America’s legacy carriers at risk of being outflanked by cheap tickets. One such carrier, Avelo Airlines, tried to muscle into Binghamton by announcing new service to Fort Myers and Orlando in August 2022, using a Boeing 737-800. They were set to be the first direct flights between BGM and Florida with fares starting at $79. Avelo Airlines Chairman and CEO Andrew Levy said at the time:
“Binghamton – say hello to Avelo! We’re excited to add Binghamton as our first New York destination to Avelo’s U.S. network. Traveling to The Sunshine State is now more affordable and easier than ever.”
He clearly marketed the services to Binghamton residents who were fed up with driving, saying: “say goodbye to long and expensive gas-guzzling drives to those other distant New York airports.” The table below shows the fleet currently operated by Avelo Airlines, per the carrier’s website.
|
Aircraft Type |
Number in Fleet |
Capacity |
|---|---|---|
|
Boeing 737-700 |
8 |
149 |
|
Boeing 737-800 |
14 |
189 |
|
Embraer 195-E2 |
0 (50 on order for delivery in 2027) |
TBC |
Despite the excitement that these services must have brought, they were immediately hit by challenges. Avelo had to cancel the launch of its services to Fort Myers as Hurricane Ian caused a decline in bookings, and the carrier left the market in 2024 due to a lack of profitability. Jim Olson, Avelo’s Head of Communication, explained that “before we commit to a new route, we conduct a thorough analysis of any available and relevant data.”
He added that “in most cases, the routes we enter succeed and we continue to operate them. However, with those that do not, we must make the difficult decision to exit them.” During its operation, 20,000 passengers flew from BGM to Orlando, representing 75% of the available tickets, suggesting strong enthusiasm for such routes among the Binghamton population.
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In comparison, Breeze has grown by 65% in September.
A Brief History Of BGM
BGM, originally called Broome County Airport, began development in 1945 amid difficulties with night operations at the Tri-Cities Airport in Endicott. The airport opened in 1951, featuring two runways, both over 5,000 feet (1,524 m) long, and many airlines began using the airport in the 1950s, including Mohawk, TWA, and Colonial Airlines (later Eastern Air Lines). Flying Tiger Lines joined in the 1960s, flying Canadair CL-44Ds to the airport five times a week.
The main runway then received a further 700-foot extension in 1969. The 1980s brought a new name for the facility: Edwin A. Link Field-Broome County Airport, in honor of an aviation pioneer from Binghamton. It also came with new carriers, like the commuter airline Brockway Air, which flew Beechcraft 1900s and Fokker F-27s to Syracuse, Boston, Albany, Keene, Worcester, Burlington, and Rutland.
The turn of the millennium saw further changes and developments come to the airport, and it changed its name again in 2004 to Greater Binghamton Airport. Such was the level of traffic that the old terminal couldn’t keep up, so in July 2004, four new jet bridges opened. A $12.3 million grant from the federal government was then won for further runway extensions and an Engineered Materials Arresting System (EMAS).
However, challenges began to affect the airport during the 2010s, setting it on a path of slow decline, namely the final departures of United Airlines and American Airlines. In 2021, the airport averaged 36 aircraft operations a day, of which 84% were general aviation, 13% were air taxi flights, 3% were military planes, and
For BGM, the challenge now is ensuring that this narrow escape turns into a more sustainable future, before the next airline decision once again puts it on the brink.
