Contour makes inaugural flight
For the passengers who arrived at the Owensboro-Daviess County Regional Airport’s terminal Tuesday morning, the moment was more about having the convenience of a direct flight to Chicago O’Hare International Airport than it was about Contour Airlines’ inaugural flight between the two cities.
Sara Monroe brought her 15-year-old daughter Sterling. She was flying alone for the first time to visit her aunt Liz Monroe, who lives in Chicago.
Sara Monroe said they would typically drive to the Windy City, but the flight presented her daughter an opportunity to take a quick trip before beginning her sophomore year at Owensboro High School.
“We couldn’t wait; we were counting down for this day,” Sara Monroe said. “We travel there a lot, so this makes it a lot easier.”
For Sterling Monroe, it was a chance to celebrate her aunt having just passed the bar exam to became an attorney.
Sterling described the trip as “a big deal” for her age.
“If they hadn’t opened up this flight with Contour Airlines, I would probably not be going,” she said. “…It’s a little staycation for her and a little vacation for me.”
Contour is flying a 30-passenger Embraer ERJ-135 regional jet to make the 45-minute, in-air trip from Owensboro to Chicago.
David Laviguer drove from his home in Newburgh to catch the flight.
Laviguer said he flies frequently for his job, and he often was having to drive to Nashville International Airport or Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport.
“I have to go to Chicago a lot, so this is a good change,” he said. “And it looks like I can catch other flights from Chicago.”
The inaugural flight was also commemorated with a ceremony by local, state and airport officials.
Doug Hoyt, airport board chairman, said the first flight is a culmination of the efforts that went into ensuring the community had access to a quality air service as well as a destination with demand.
“Our board and our staff have worked very hard for a number of months to make this happen,” Hoyt said.
Among the speakers was Mark Carter, commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Aviation, who complimented airport staff and its board for bringing Contour into the community.
“There’s a saying in aviation circles that a mile of roadway will take you a mile but a mile of runway will take you anywhere,” Carter said. “…You can travel to London (England), and you can start your journey right here.”
Contour, which also partners with American Airlines, will fly 12 weekly roundtrips between Owensboro and Chicago. It replaced Cape Air as the airport’s essential air service. Cape Air was providing daily flights to St. Louis and Nashville.
After being named the new EAS provider earlier this year, Contour initially was going to offer flights from Owensboro to Charlotte, North Carolina.
But in May, the airport board acted on the Chicago option Contour gave as an alternate destination.
Matt Chaifetz, Contour’s CEO, told the crowd that it was “an exciting day” because of how it will give local and regional flyers access to not only domestic, but international travel.
“We want people traveling from their hometown airport, and that’s exactly what this service is designed to do,” Chaifetz said. “…We really relish the opportunity to bring that to Owensboro.”
By Don Wilkins Messenger-Inquirer