Midway Will Offer Chicago Flights in John Wayne Debut

Midway Airlines said Thursday that it will begin offering two daily round-trip flights from Orange County to Chicago on Oct. 1, just two weeks after the new, $50-million terminal at John Wayne Airport opens for business.

Chicago-based Midway, known as a price-cutter in most of the markets it serves, is the only new passenger carrier to begin service at the tightly controlled airport under a flight-expansion plan approved earlier this year by Orange County supervisors.

Initially, Braniff and Southwest airlines also were awarded flights from Orange County, but Braniff went bankrupt, and Southwest, protesting that it needed more than the two flights that the county approved to operate economically, withdrew.

Midway will join United and American airlines with daily, nonstop flights to Chicago from Orange County, but it is the only carrier using Midway Airport rather than O’Hare International. Midway said it will fly 140-passenger, McDonnell Douglas MD-87 jets.

The airline has not yet published regular fares on the route, a company spokeswoman said, but has set a six-week introductory fare schedule, to run from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15, with ticket purchases required by Oct. 31.

Under the introductory rate, a one-way, unrestricted coach ticket will be $249, and an unrestricted, one-way first-class ticket will be $289. Lower fares, down to $99 one way, will be available but are saddled with a variety of restrictions.

Spokesmen at both United and American said their pricing people are reviewing Midway’s introductory fares but have not yet decided to match them.

The lowest unrestricted, nonstop coach fare currently available to Chicago from Orange County is $557.