Boardings at Tupelo Regional Airport remained strong in January, with 1,045 passengers taking the route between Tupelo and Nashville.
The enplanements are the highest January figures since 2008. They also marked the ninth consecutive month of at least 1,000 boardings at the airport, a streak that hasn’t been seen in 10 years.
January’s figures were a 60 percent increase from a year earlier, but it must be noted that from January to April of last year, air service provider Contour Airlines were limited to nine seats on their planes. Since May, Contour has been able to add back seats and can carry up to 15 passengers per flight.
With those added seats, the total number of enplanements last year at Tupelo Regional reached 12,948, the most since 2009.
And this April, on the third anniversary of having begun service in Tupelo Contour will add even more seats.
The airline is switching to 30-passenger twin-engine Embraer ERJ135 jets.
The EJR135 will replace the Jetstream twin-turboprop plane Contour has used. In the ERJ cabin, each passenger has access to a window or aisle seat due to the three-abreast configuration. Passengers also get class leading legroom, “on par with the first-class offerings of major carriers on similar aircraft types” according to the company.
The number of roundtrip flights between Tupelo and Nashville will be reduced from 30 to 18; however more seats will be available overall, especially on the busier days;
Contour has already begun taking reservations for flights on the new jets, with schedules available through the end of June. Visit contourairilnes.com for flight and ticket information.
https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/news/21068023/tupelo-airport-boardings-continue-to-be-strong