Lakeshore Express Aviation will inaugurate flights between Chicago Midway and Pellston Regional Airport in the Little Traverse Bay Region of Northern Michigan next month, providing faster access to the popular summer getaways of Cheboygan, Charlevoix and Mackinac Island. The start-up has contracted to fly a Saab 340 from charter provider Pentastar Aviation three days per week with a schedule designed around weekend breaks in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It is initially advertising flights during July and August but subject to demand could look to extend the contract to a year round service.
Lakeshore Express says return fares will begin at less than $400 but will enable passengers to travel between the two destinations in less than one hour, rather than facing a six hour road journey. It will provide what it describes as a VIP service with free parking, a “three minute check-in” at a private terminal, complimentary in-flight beverages. An estimated 1,400 O&D passengers travelled between Chicago and Pellston in the past year using the flights of Delta Air Lines via Detroit.
The launch of Lakeshore Express coincides with a ramp up in the state of Michigan’s Pure Michigan tourism campaign. Lakeshore Express hopes to capitalise on one of Pure Michigan’s major objectives, capturing out-of-state tourists. The company feels confident it can achieve this objective thanks to the support of lodging, hospitality, and entertainment companies in the Little Traverse Bay region.
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