Jet changes coming to Tupelo

TUPELO, Miss. – Passengers from Tupelo Regional Airport are at a nine-year high. TRA and Contour Airlines anticipate a bigger number when regional jet service begins around April, according to Contour’s CEO. Contour, which began service in April 2016, will switch to 30-passenger twin-engine Embraer ERJ135 jets, which the company said to the Daily News that was “developed specifically to achieve the right balance between frequency and capacity on regional routes.” The EJR135 will replace the Jetstream twin-turboprop plane Contour has used since service began in Tupelo almost three years ago. The airline started the Tupelo-to-Nashville route using 9-seat Jetstreams, but last May added back 10 seats to its original configuration. Contour CEO Matt Chaifetz says an exact date for the new aircraft to be in service hasn’t been set, but is shooting for April. (Source: Daily Journal 01/13/19)