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Dr. Bucshon’s Statement on Return of Direct Air Service between Evansville and Chicago

Washington, April 12, 2024

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN-08) issued the following statement after Evansville Regional Airport officials announced the resumption of American Airlines’ direct air service between Evansville Regional Airport (EVV) and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD):

“Today’s announcement regarding American Airlines’ decision to restore direct air service between Evansville and Chicago, which was lost in March 2022, is great news for Hoosier families and businesses in Southwest Indiana,” said Dr. Bucshon.  “The current service at Evansville Regional Airport – to Dallas-Fort Worth and Charlotte provided by American Airlines and to Atlanta provided by Delta Airlines – gives passengers valuable connectivity to destinations around the country and the world.  However, the lack of direct service to Chicago has been a been a significant issue, particularly for businesses with extensive ties to the Chicagoland region, and that could have negatively impacted long-term economic and job growth in Southwest Indiana and the larger tristate region. This positive outcome for our region is the direct result of hard work performed over the past 2 years by Nate Hahn’s team at EVV, the City of Evansville led by former Mayor Lloyd Winnecke and current Mayor Stephanie Terry, other local and state partners, and local business leaders,” concluded Dr. Bucshon.

BACKGROUND

After the loss of United Airlines’ direct air service to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport in January 2022 and the March 2022 pause of American Airlines’ direct service to Chicago and Delta Airlines’ direct service to Detroit, Congressman Bucshon and Senators Todd Young and Mike Braun sent a letter in May 2022 to the CEOs of Delta Airlines and American Airlines urging them to restore critical flights from Evansville to Chicago and Detroit. 

Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. represents Indiana’s 8th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives and is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

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