"The new flight will be great news for Iowa business and vacation travelers. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of increased interest by airlines serving Iowa," Harkin said. "This service provides increased competition and hopefully lower fares. Better air service not only makes it easier for air travelers, it is useful in attracting new businesses to our area and good paying jobs. Senator Grassley and I plan to continue our efforts to improve both the quality of service and to reduce fares in Iowa."
"Today's announcement is a big step in providing better air service for central Iowa," Grassley said. "Attracting new carriers and adding new routes to provide more competition plays a vital role in saving Iowa travelers money, maintaining a competitive business climate and fostering economic development in our hometown communities. Our effort has been successful because of a strong local and federal partnership. Working together is the blueprint for success."
Midwest Express' non-stop service from Washington, DC to Des Moines will likely begin in October. The flights between Washington National and the Des Moines airport will use two of the twelve additional slots for National Airport from cities within a 1250 mile perimeter provided under the aviation measure pushed by Grassley and Harkin.
In March, Congress passed an unprecedented $40 billion three-year aviation bill that included the Iowa senators' proposal to phase-out the 30-year-old system that limited landings and take-offs at some of the nation's busiest urban airports. The outdated slot system gave major air carriers a competitive advantage over start-up and budget carriers. It stifled commercial aviation in under-served markets and prevented new air carriers from getting off the groundin Iowa.
Grassley and Harkin worked to ensure that Iowa cities would benefit from the selection criteria for the opening slots at the four largest airports. The Senators wrote to the Administration on behalf of airlines wishing to bring non-stop service from Washington, DC to Des Moines. Their efforts also helped Midwest Express win direct flights from Des Moines to New York through Indianapolis. That route started last month.