August 03, 2023
SIU joins celebration of flights from Marion to O’Hare
SIU Carbondale officials were among the passengers to board Contour Airlines’ first flight on Aug. 1 from Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois in Marion for an hourlong trip to Chicago O’Hare. Contour will offer two round-trip flights daily Monday through Friday, along with one round-trip flight each Saturday and Sunday. Passengers will know they are in Saluki Country when they land in Marion.
The passengers for the inaugural flight include SIU Chancellor Austin A. Lane; Sheryl A. Tucker, SIU provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, Wendell Williams, associate chancellor of enrollment management; Jeff Harmon, SIU chief communications and marketing officer; Contour Airlines CEO Matt Chaifetz; and Illinois State Sen. Dale Fowler. In Chicago, SIU officials met with leadership at the University Center of Lake County and conducted other university business.