Direct flights will resume between Lansing and Washington, D.C. after American Airlines received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. The daily flights could begin as early as June.
“Restoring air service to Washington Reagan National Airport is essential to the economic growth and development of mid-Michigan, and Michigan’s state capital,” says Bob Selig, president and CEO of the Capital Region Airport Authority.
American Airlines will also offer three daily flights from Lansing’s Capital Region International Airport to Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Start date, schedule, and fares for the Lansing to Washington, D.C., and Lansing to Chicago routes have not yet been established.
“American will inaugurate Lansing service with four daily flights to two destinations, not just one, giving Lansing-area travelers a new choice in air travel with a new carrier, new network, new hubs, and new global alliance access,” says Howard Kass, vice president of regulatory fairs for American Airlines.
Selig says more than 1,200 business officials and individuals wrote letters to the U.S. Department of Transportation in support of restoring the Washington, D.C., service.
“Securing Washington, D.C., service represents a ‘win-win-win’ opportunity that will help create and retain jobs in Michigan, grow our regional economy, and ensure Lansing’s airport remains a cornerstone of our region’s business development strategies,” says Chris Holman, board chair of Capital Region Airport Authority.
