Durbin Meets with Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters

Press Release

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters urging the Department of Transportation to move forward on several Illinois transportation issues including downstate Illinois air service, O'Hare modernization, and expanded Amtrak service in Illinois.

Great Lakes Airlines was awarded the Essential Air Service contracts in Marion/Herrin, Quincy and most recently Decatur, Illinois. Durbin has asked repeatedly that the airline work to make sure the necessary planes, personnel and equipment are in place so that service between downstate communities and St. Louis Lambert International Airport can resume safely and quickly.

"I made sure the Secretary understood that downstate Illinois communities have experienced months of travel, tourism and economic disruptions as a result of the air service shut-down," said Durbin. "The area has been without service for far too long and there is growing frustration over Great Lakes Aviation's delay in restoring service. Secretary Peters assured me that she will continue to work with FAA, the airlines and the affected communities to restore service as quickly and safely as possible."

On June 12, 2007, Durbin sent a letter to the CEO of Great Lakes Airlines, Chuck Howell and the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Doug Voss asking that the airline work to begin providing scheduled passenger air service from Decatur, Marion/Herrin, Quincy, and Springfield, Illinois to St. Louis as soon as possible. Durbin sent a similar letter to Mr. Howell, on April 11, 2007. On March 19, 2007, Durbin sent a letter to the President of American Eagle Airlines, Peter M. Bowler urging that the airline work with Great Lakes to begin service immediately.

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