MOUNT VERNON-TO-CHICAGO AIRLINE MAY FORM LINK TO CAPE GIRARDEAU

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- A commuter airline starting service between Mt. Vernon and Chicago, Ill. may form a link to Cape Girardeau.

Will Davis, president of Direct Air of Ft. Wayne, Ind., confirmed the possibility exists but would be in the distant future. "Cape Girardeau has been discussed," he said. "We are looking at it."

A decision to provide air service here, if made, would be made after in-depth market research on the potential customer load and needs of local air commuters in the region. "There are a lot of factors involved," Davis said. The company wants to investigate fares charged by competitive carriers to determine potential profit in the venture.

If the service was initiated, one market niche that could be served would be flights to Chicago from here. Davis wants to establish air service between Mt. Vernon and Kansas City but it would go through St. Louis.

Direct Air is making two daily flights from Mt. Vernon to Chicago, with stops at Coles County Airport, which is between Mattoon and Charleston. The flights are on a 13-passenger turboprop aircraft.

Davis expects about 400 boardings monthly at first, and an increase after a few months.

Direct Air has been in operation nine years. Davis and two other investors purchased it in 1989.

Trans World Express is presently Cape Girardeau's only commercial air carrier. Cape Central Airways and Procter and Gamble's American Air shuttle service also operate from the airport.