Contour Airlines selected to provide new Essential Air Service at DuBois Regional Airport

DuBOIS — DuBois Regional Airport will have a new commercial air carrier and new nonstop destinations beginning next year under a decision announced Friday by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The department selected Corporate Flight Management Inc., doing business as Contour Airlines, to provide Essential Air Service at the airport for a four-year term beginning Feb. 1, 2027, and continuing through Jan. 31, 2031.

Contour will provide seven weekly nonstop round trips between DuBois and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and five weekly nonstop round trips between DuBois and Chicago O’Hare International Airport.

The service will be operated using 30-seat regional jets under a public charter arrangement. The Department of Transportation granted DuBois a waiver from the federal requirement that Essential Air Service be provided as scheduled air transportation, allowing Contour to operate the service as public charter flights.

The new service will replace Southern Airways Express, which currently provides 38 weekly round trips from DuBois — 19 to Pittsburgh International Airport and 19 to Washington Dulles International Airport using nine-seat Cessna Caravan aircraft.

Southern’s service obligation has been extended through Jan. 31, 2027, or until Contour begins service at DuBois, whichever comes first. The department said it expects the carriers to work together to ensure a smooth transition without a service interruption.

The airport’s new service to Atlanta and Chicago will provide passengers with access to two major airline hubs and connections to a significantly broader range of domestic destinations.

According to the Department of Transportation, Contour’s proposal includes interline arrangements with American Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue and Alaska Airlines. The airline also said an interline agreement with Delta Air Lines is expected in the future.

The department noted that Atlanta provides particularly strong connections to the Southeast, Florida and Texas, while Chicago offers extensive connections throughout the Midwest, Mountain West and West Coast.

The Clearfield-Jefferson Counties Regional Airport Authority, the City of DuBois, Clearfield County Commissioners, Jefferson County Commissioners, Elk County Commissioners and the North Central Pennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Commission all supported Contour’s proposal.

In a July letter supporting Contour’s proposal, DuBois City Manager Joe Fleming cited improved connectivity, potential economic benefits and the possibility of additional local employment through a proposed aircraft maintenance facility at the airport.

Fleming also pointed to the use of regional jets as a potential improvement in winter operating reliability and said the proposal could help restore passenger confidence in the airport.

The Regional Airport Authority similarly said Contour’s proposed service to Atlanta and Chicago would provide greater connectivity and schedule flexibility than other proposals under consideration.

The Department of Transportation said it considered several factors in selecting the new carrier, including reliability, connections with larger airlines, community preferences, marketing plans and the cost of the proposed service.

The department received a range of public comments during the selection process. Some residents supported continuing Southern’s service, particularly because of the convenience of its frequent flights to Pittsburgh. Others cited concerns about cancellations, delays, missed connections and operational reliability and favored service to a larger airline hub.

The department ultimately determined that Contour’s proposal best met the required selection criteria.

Contour’s annual federal subsidy will be $6.27 million during the first year of the contract, increasing to $6.59 million in the second year, $6.92 million in the third year and $7.26 million in the fourth year.

The department noted that some other Contour and Boutique Air proposals would have required less federal subsidy, but none received the same level of community support or provided access to both Atlanta and Chicago.

The department also determined that several proposals could not be considered because of federal requirements. SkyWest Airlines proposed using 50-seat CRJ-200 regional jets, but DuBois Regional Airport is currently certified as a Class II airport and cannot accept scheduled service by aircraft with more than 30 passenger seats.

The DOT said it expects Southern and Contour to coordinate the transition. Before Southern suspends service, it will be expected to notify passengers with reservations beyond the suspension date and assist them with alternate transportation or provide a full refund without penalty if requested.

The federal order states that Contour is fit, willing and able to provide Essential Air Service at DuBois.

The selection is subject to Contour providing required federal certifications concerning drug-free workplaces, nondiscrimination and lobbying activities.…Read more by Lainey Beach news@theprogressnews.com