Independent regional carrier Contour will officially begin Essential Air Service flights at a new airport in Arkansas next month.
Starting March 16, the airline will connect South Arkansas Regional Airport in El Dorado with Dallas/Fort Worth. The airport has been without scheduled commercial service since November, when a previous EAS contract with Southern Airways Express expired.
The U.S. Department of Transportation selected Contour as the airport’s new service provider last year after a bidding process.
Flights will operate up to three times daily, officials said.
From El Dorado, morning and evening flights will operate each day, with additional early afternoon flights available on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays. From Dallas, afternoon and evening flights will run daily, with expanded morning service on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays.
“This new service highlights Contour’s commitment to connecting underserved communities with major markets,” Contour President Ben Munson said in a news release. “By launching nonstop flights from South Arkansas Regional Airport to Dallas/Fort Worth, we’re giving travelers a convenient, reliable option while maintaining the high level of comfort and service our customers expect.”
Passengers from Arkansas will also be able to book interline flights with partners such as United, American, Alaska, and JetBlue, Contour leaders said.
Contour flies primarily in the South, Midwest, and Southwest, as well as in the eastern Caribbean.
