The air was cold, the skies were clear, and the inaugural flight of Contour Airlines out of Bridgeport’s North Central West Virginia Airport to Charlotte’s Douglas International Airport was nearly full. It was, for the first day of December, a good start for the airline that will be providing daily jet service to the NCWV Airport for the next several years.

 

“It is a historic day,” said Benedum Airport Authority President Ernie VanGilder at an early-morning ribbon cutting ceremony. “We’re very proud to have Contour Airlines as our air service provider.”

 

Contour will replace the daily United Express flights through SkyWest as the Essential Air Service (EAS) provider where connections were made through Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and Washington Dulles Airport. It was less than a year ago – March 10 of this year to be exact – that United informed the United States Department of Transportation and the FAA with a termination notice to end service in Bridgeport.

 

The service did not end due to issues out of Bridgeport. Rather, it ended due to a national pilot shortage that saw United end 30 mainly rural routes that were funded by EAS through the FAA, which provides federal dollars to airlines to provide rural flight service.

 

Less than nine months later, and following a federal bidding process, another airline was found. And it is one airport officials are excited about.

 

Contour is the largest airline service provider in West Virginia, and it offers jet service. Contour is also an American Airlines interline partner, and that means it offers travelers the ability to ticket seamlessly from the NCWV Airport (CKB), through Charlotte Douglas International Airport and connect to a variety of destinations worldwide on American Airlines.

 

“This is a big home run for us,” said Airport Authority member David Hinkle. “We were worried about what we would be able to offer after the bidding because we knew we needed the connectivity. The Charlotte hub, through American, has the connections. In fact, the Charlotte hub has more connections than we had before; I think it’s 700-plus connections.

 

“For the people of North Central West Virginia, it’s a win for them,” Hinkle continued. “It’s also a win for the airport after the situation with United where, after COVID, it just got too crazy for them with their pilot shortage. It was tough because it was working and there was a lot of time invested, but Contour has stepped up, and we’re confident it will be successful.”

Contour’s first flight was delayed until 8:45 a.m. today due to the ribbon-cutting ceremony that began shortly after 7 a.m. in the terminal building. The regular flight schedule will be offered twice a day with the exception of Tuesday and Saturday. The other five days will see flights leaving Bridgeport at 6:45 a.m. and a second flight at 1:45 p.m. The Tuesday and Saturday flights will depart at 6:45 a.m.

 

Matt Chaifetz, CEO of Contour Airlines, made the trip to Bridgeport today. He said his company has bid on the service through EAS before and is thrilled to finally have it.

 

“When we bid before, we were much smaller. Now, we’re the second largest airline by passenger slot in the EAS system,” said Chaifetz, who pointed out that Contour already serves Parkersburg and Beckley. “… I think it’s naturally a better fit for this airport than D.C. or Chicago.”

 

Chaifetz said this flight has the luxury of being overnighted in Bridgeport with an early morning and early morning departure five days a week and early morning every day, as well as good inbound times.

 

“It’s ideal times for the business and leisure travelers,” Chaifetz said.

 

Chaifetz said Contour utilizes Embraer jets, specifically the ERJ135 or ERJ140 jet. Their planes seat 30 individuals, but the jets typically seat anywhere from 37 to 50 passengers, he added.

 

“We reconfigured to seat only 30 passengers so every passenger, in every row no matter where you are sitting in the plane … is guaranteed a minimum of 36 inches of seat pitch,” said Chaifetz, who noted flights are currently being offered to Charlotte for $59. “That’s equivalent to what you get in first class on other airlines domestically.”

 

According to NCWV Airport Director Rick Rock, the flights are quick. He said it is roughly a 40-minute flight. With several local officials on board for the first flight, it was at near capacity.

 

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows local officials gathering for the ribbon cutting prior to 8 a.m. this morning, while the second photo shows the Contour Jet on the runway at roughly 7 a.m. waiting for its first flight out of Bridgeport. In the third photo, Authority member David Hinkle addresses the crowd. Bottom photo shows Matt Chaifetz, CEO of Contour Airlines, being interviewed by local media.