Contour Airlines
Contour Airlines is a regional airline headquartered at Smyrna Airport in Smyrna, Tennessee, United States.[4] All Contour Airlines flights are public charters sold and operated by parent company Contour Aviation as a direct carrier.
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| Founded | 2016 | ||||||
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| Commenced operations | 22 March 2016 | ||||||
| AOC # | FJTA920D[1] | ||||||
| Hubs | |||||||
| Secondary hubs | |||||||
| Fleet size | 18 | ||||||
| Destinations | 28[2] | ||||||
| Parent company | Contour Aviation | ||||||
| Headquarters | Smyrna, Tennessee, U.S.A. | ||||||
| Key people | Matt Chaifetz (CEO)[3] | ||||||
| Website | contourairlines.com | ||||||
History
Contour Airlines was established by its parent company Contour Aviation in 2016. Contour began service on March 22, 2016, completing its inaugural flight from Nashville to Tupelo, Mississippi. Since then, Contour has expanded to 20 destinations nationwide, focusing on providing key business and leisure markets previously underserved with nonstop short-haul routes.[5]
On April 1, 2019, Contour retired its Jetstream 31/32 fleet and focused solely on ERJ-135/145 aircraft.
On February 5, 2020, Contour Airlines announced that it would add Indianapolis as a focus city and purchase additional ERJ-135/145 aircraft. The goal was to provide efficient service to markets within driving distance but without direct flights to capture travelers who would rather drive than fly with a layover.[6] The airline planned to serve Nashville, Pittsburgh and St. Louis from Indianapolis beginning June 10, 2020,[7] however, the service had been suspended indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8] On July 28, 2021, Contour announced its relaunch in Indianapolis, beginning on October 12 and flying to Milwaukee, Nashville, and Pittsburgh.[9] However, Contour quietly dropped Milwaukee and Pittsburgh less than three months later.[10] According to Contour CEO Matt Chaifetz, the Indianapolis to Milwaukee route averaged 40% full and was climbing, but stalled in the winter due to fears over the omicron variant.[6] He said "the timing was just poor" for the new routes, but said, "We're still committed to Indianapolis."[6]
Contour Airlines announced that it had returned to pre-covid numbers in Tupelo, having more than 12,000 boardings in 2022. This helps increase funds granted by the FAA to Tupelo Airport, up from $150,000 to $1,000,000.[11]
On April 20, 2023, the Department of Transportation approved Contour Airlines' bid to replace Cape Air at Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois in Marion, Illinois. Contour will connect the airport to O'Hare International Airport, starting August 1, 2023.[12] The contract is set to last three years.[13]
Due to inflation, Cape Air opted in late 2022 to cease operations out of Owensboro prior to the end of their contract, which was scheduled to end in 2023. Contour Airlines was chosen to replace Cape Air, to commence operations to and from Charlotte.[14] However, both Contour Airlines and Owensboro Airport later decided to change the twelve Owensboro flights per week to go to Chicago O'Hare International Airport instead of Charlotte, which the Department of Transportation approved on May 30, 2023.[15] The service started on August 1, 2023.[16]
Destinations
Contour Airlines operates flights serving the following destinations:[17][18]
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Former destinations
Fleet
Contour Airlines operates Embraer Regional Jets and Bombardier CRJ100/200 Regional Jets in 30-seat & VIP configurations. The airline has previously operated Jetstream 31/32s in their scheduled operations.[23]
| Model | Delivered | In service | Future | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bombardier CRJ-100/200 | 8 | 7 (1 Parked) | 4 VIP Configuration | |
| Embraer ERJ-135 | 10 | 10 | ||
| Embraer ERJ-140 | 8 | 6 (2 Parked/Undergoing Maintenance) | ||
| Embraer ERJ-145 | 4 | 2 (2 Parked/Undergoing Maintenance) | ||
Airline agreements
Contour has an interline agreement with American Airlines allowing passengers to travel via Contour and American under a single itinerary. Bookings can be made through third-party travel agencies, through the American Airlines website, or directly through the Contour Airlines website.[24]
In-flight experience
Passengers traveling with Contour receive free seat selection and their first piece of checked baggage without charge on all fare classes.[25] All Contour flights feature leather seating, 36 inches of legroom, and complimentary in-flight snack and beverage service.[5]
Incidents
N812AE, an Embraer 140 flying as VTE3801 suffered a bird strike upon takeoff in Muscle Shoals, AL on August 29, 2023. The flight was a scheduled service bound for Charlotte, NC. There were no injuries or fatalities.[26]
References
- "Advisory Circular AC 135-13K: FAA Certificated Air Carriers Directory" (PDF). 2002-08-23. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
- "Contour Airlines Route Map". Contour Airlines. Retrieved 2023-05-30.
- "About Corporate Flight Management - CFM". Contour Aviation. Retrieved 2018-03-29.
- "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-03. p. 69.
- "Events Calendar".
- "Indianapolis airport loses direct flights to Milwaukee, Pittsburgh after just 3 months". The Indianapolis Star.
- BF Staff (2020-02-05). "Contour To Add Airline Base At Indianapolis International Airport". Business Facilities. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
- Airport, Indianapolis (2020-04-22). "Enzo, thanks for reaching out. We're working closely with @ContourAirlines regarding their launch in the Indy market. Due to the impact of COVID-19 on the aviation industry as a whole, Contour's Indy inaugural flights have been pushed back to an undetermined time". @INDairport. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
- Alex Brown (2021-07-28). "Contour Airlines Resumes Indy Airport Plans". WISHTV. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
- "Here today... Contour Airlines drops Indianapolis, Milwaukee flights after less than three months in Pittsburgh". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- Montgomery, Garner (2023-01-18). "Contour Airlines: More than 12K boardings in 2022". WTVA. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
- Heller, Marsha (2023-04-21). "Contour Air selected for service at Veterans Airport in Marion, Ill". KFVS12. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
- Fuller, Leanne (2023-04-20). "Department of Transportation approves Contour as air service provider for Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois". WPSD Local 6. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
- Richardson, Ryan (2023-01-18). "OWB board recommends jet service to Charlotte; flights to Nashville and St. Louis would cease". The Owensboro Times. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
- "ORDER APPROVING ALTERNATE SERVICE PATTERN" (PDF). downloads.regulations.gov. Retrieved 2023-09-02.
- Richardson, Ryan (2023-06-07). "OWB to offer daily jet service to Chicago starting August 1". The Owensboro Times. Retrieved 2023-06-08.
- "Regulations.gov". www.regulations.gov. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
- "Contour Airlines - Flight schedules". www.contourairlines.com. Retrieved 2020-04-21.
- "New airline offers flights from Altoona to Philadelphia". WTAJ - www.wearecentralpa.com. 2022-08-16. Retrieved 2022-08-26.
- McCormick, Grayce (2020-12-17). "Southwest soaring to SB". Santa Barbara News-Press. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
- "Macon Regional Airport ends Tampa flight, continues casino and Baltimore-Washington trips". WMAZ. 22 March 2019. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
- By, WES SWIETEK (17 February 2018). "Local Destin flights won't return". Bowling Green Daily News. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
- "Contour Aviation Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. 2023-05-02. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
- "MOV Regional Airport eyes marketing". mariettatimes.com. Retrieved 2020-12-28.
- "Contour Airlines". www.contourairlines.com. Archived from the original on 2020-05-06.
- "ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 345060". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 2023-09-20.