MARION, Ill. -- The Southern Illinois community celebrated the inaugural flight with Contour Airlines out of the on Tuesday.
Area elected officials, airport dignitaries, Contour Airlines executives and area residents came out Monday morning to celebrate the new service between the Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois and Chicago O'Hare Airport.
Contour Airlines will offer two flights a day, Monday through Friday. One in the morning, and the other in the evening. Contour will also have one flight out of the airport on both Saturday and Sunday.
"The community support of this new service has been exceptional and will be key to its ongoing success," Airport Board Chairman Dr. Javier Muniz said.
"We are so pleased to add Chicago to the Contour network and introduce fast and reliable regional jet service to our new EAS communities. Together with our interline partner, American Airlines, these new flights make travel easy and affordable by providing seamless connectivity to destinations around the world," Contour CEO Matt Chaifetz said.
Contour Airlines was selected to provide the new service out of the three proposals from earlier this year.
"Contour's larger regional jet aircraft, with service to a larger hub airport with far more options for connectivity and competitive airfare will serve our region well and undoubtedly increase ridership," Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois Airport Director Doug Kimmel said.
Background of from their website states...
Contour Airlines is the regional airline brand of Contour Aviation, based in Smyrna, TN. Contour Aviation was founded in 1982 as Corporate Flight Management, a private jet charter company. The company’s services grew to include aircraft sales and management, aircraft maintenance, and FBO services. Today, Contour Aviation is among the 10 largest Part 135 charter operators in the United States, and the largest in the Southeast. The company operates a diverse fleet of aircraft for private charter, ranging in size from 8 passenger light jets to three cabin ultra long-range business jets. Contour is rated Platinum by ARG/US, the highest possible safety rating for private jet operators in the industry. Contour’s private jet and commercial operations are supported by a world-class operations team based at its headquarters. Contour is also a U.S. Department of Defense contractor and supplier of aviation-related government services around the world," Contour Airlines states on their website.
