Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois will have a new flight destination and airline starting this summer.
Starting August first Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois will offer daily service to Chicago's O’Hare International Airport through Contour Airlines.
They’re providing two round trips Monday through Friday and single round trips on the weekend and the flight lasts about an hour.
Contour Airlines CEO Matt Chaifetz (Shay-Fits) says they made changes to their regional jet with passengers in mind.
“You will get on this airplane. It's super comfortable. We took 20 seats out of this aircraft and we space the roads so that everyone has the equivalent of first class legroom. It's just a great way to travel.”
Airport Director Doug Kimmel says the federal subsidy under the Essential Air Service programs only covers one airline and they had to endorse one of them with community input.
“That was our recommendation. Of the three proposals received, we recommended Contour Airlines took us a few months to go through their process of selecting and announcing the award, which just happened last week.”
July 31st will end the contract with Cape Air and flights to St. Louis and Nashville.
