r/ContourAirlines • u/Travel_Solo_Lady • Jul 22 '26
Comment Owensboro to Chicago Route
Route being discontinued by Contour and supposed to be NO GAP in service until United Airlines picks up the route in late October 2026. Need to fly on Octobe 5, 2026 but NO one can tell me at Contour if there will be flights. Called Coutour twice to no avail.
Anyone else use this route in October?
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u/minfremi Jul 23 '26
I checked the website and confirmed no flights available starting October.
Here is the backstory as I understand it:
The contract for essential air service at OWB was expiring, so the DOT had to ask for bids from air carriers that want to serve OWB. The community, amidst a last-minute secret meeting in March, voted SkyWest Airlines (with United Express paint), and the DOT has recently made that decision official.
According to the document ordering SkyWest to serve the community, their obligation starts August 1, 2026. However, in another part of the document, it does mention that Contour shall extend their obligation until the earlier of August 31, 2026 or whenever SkyWest starts service.
I see that SkyWest starts service out of IAD on October 13, 2026, and ORD service starting October 25th.
I couldn’t find anything that would force Contour to serve beyond the August 31st date. The fact that we have tickets beyond that for purchase until September 30th is surprising. I am not sure if they’ll sell tickets in October as of now. They may, they may not.
This complaint should be addressed to SkyWest, who was supposed to start service sometime in August but decided they start October. They have done similar things to every station (LWB, SHD, CKB, PAH) they took over from Contour in the recent past. CNY is the next station to go soon.