SkyValue to fly to 5 sites from Gary airport

GARY -- SkyValue announced today it will begin service in the United States, running its first regularly scheduled passenger flights from the Gary/Chicago International Airport starting Dec. 1.

SkyValue will fly as a leisure destination airline with 11 flights per week out of the Gary airport -- three to Orlando, and two each to Fort Lauderdale, St. Petersburg, Phoenix and Las Vegas.

Chief Executive Officer Darrell Richardson said he thought SkyValue's arrival could attract other airlines to Gary.

"The airlines are sitting back to see how Gary really progresses," Richardson said. "Let me put it like this: No one wanted to fly to Newark until People Express went there. And now everyone wants to."

SkyValue was established in 1994 in Great Britain, where it runs charter flights to Mediterranean vacation spots as well as Orlando, Fla.

Richardson said SkyValue will fly a 737-800 out of Gary from Dec. 1 through April. Introductory fares will start at $79. If it proves successful, it could become a year-round airline at Gary, Richardson said.

The Gary airport has been without regularly scheduled passenger service since Hooters Air flew its last flights out in January.