Aug. 28—DECATUR — Community members have until Sept. 29 to provide feedback on the two options for a new commercial air service at Decatur Airport.
The U.S. Department of Transportation requested proposals on July 11 for Essential Air Service for a new contract term. The two companies that submitted proposals are Southern Airways Express LLC and Contour Airlines, and those proposals were posted online on Aug. 10.
In its proposal, Palm Beach, Florida-based Southern provides two options. The first is for 36 weekly round trips from Decatur to Chicago O'Hare International Airport. The second option calls for 24 weekly round trips to O'Hare and 12 weekly round trips to St. Louis Lambert International Airport. The proposal cites average fares of $67 and $63, respectively.
The proposal calls for the use of nine-passenger turboprop Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft. The company also operates Pilatus PC-12 turboprop aircraft. The company boasts 650 employees, 270 pilots and 50 aircraft, with partnerships with American, Alaskan, United and Hawaiian airlines.
Southern is seeking a first-year subsidy of $4.5 million and $4.1 million, respectively. The proposal is for a period of two to four years..
Contour's proposal calls for 1,248 "scheduled flight segments" to O'Hare with average fares of $65 on its 30-seat Embraer regional jet. The company began a partnership with American Airlines in 2019.
Smyrna, Tennessee-based Contour is seeking a $7.2 million federal subsidy for the first year. The proposal is for a period of three years.
The proposals are available online at regulations.gov under docket number DOT-OST-2006-23929, along with the request for comments on the proposals.
The U.S. Department of Transportation subsidizes Essential Air Service for communities like Decatur to ensure that people in less populated areas have access to air travel.
The new carrier will replace SkyWest Airlines, a regional partner of United Express, which has served Decatur since 2020. SkyWest announced in March 2022 that is seeking to end its contract to provide commercial service at 29 airports, including Decatur, citing a pilot shortage.
It offers 13 flights a week from Decatur to O'Hare.
Airport Director Tim Wright said it could be a month or even two after the end of the 45-day comment period before a decision is announced, but that Decatur will not be without air service while that process is underway.
When SkyWest was chosen in 2019, Decatur business leaders, including Archer Daniels Midland Co., expressed a preference for jet service rather than prop planes. That is still the case, Wright said.
"ADM does continue to use a commuter service for employees through SkyWest Airlines as schedules see fit," said ADM spokesman Dane Lisser.
Wright said he is unable to comment specifically on the proposals as yet.
"We're still in the process of looking at the proposals," Wright said, because the two proposals were just received.
The proposals were not extensively discussed at the August park board meeting, but should be on the agenda for the Sept. 6 meeting, he said.
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Contact Valerie Wells at (217) 421-7982. Follow her on Twitter: @modgirlreporter
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