American Airlines to Restore DFW Jet Service

OKLAHOMA CITY - American Airlines has decided to restore jet service between Oklahoma City and Dallas-Fort Worth, according to two leaders of the Oklahoma Senate.

"We have it on good authority that the official announcement will be forthcoming very soon," said Senator Stratton Taylor, President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma Senate. "This is going to be a great boost to our economic development efforts."

American Airlines suspended jet service between Oklahoma City and DFW last year, citing market reasons. It replaced the jets with turbo prop planes, a move that upset business leaders and airline customers in Oklahoma City. Since that time, the State Department of Commerce and other officials have been working with American to restore jet service.

"A lot of people have been working very hard to bring jet service back, and it looks like that hard work has paid off," said Senator Taylor.

According to American Airlines, jet service will resume between Oklahoma City and DFW on August 1, 1996.

"I think this is great news for Oklahoma City and the entire state," said Senator Keith Leftwich, Majority Whip and Vice-chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee. "Having full jet service to Dallas will make our city and our region that much more economically competitive."

At a meeting of the Senate Transportation Committee late last year, Senator Leftwich and others heard testimony from the local business leaders on the importance of jet service between the two metropolitan areas.

Reports indicate that American will initially add three jets to its Oklahoma City/DFW route in August, followed by another two in September.