The FAA is calling for inspections of several models of the CRJ, including the CRJ550 used for flights from Paducah to Chicago and Houston. Beginning in April, the number of weekly flights will drop from 14 to 12. Chicago flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays will return to Paducah later, just after 6 p.m., rather than just after 1:30 p.m. arrivals the rest of the week.
Tuesdays and Saturdays will also see changes to the Houston schedule, as those days will be temporarily dropped.
The reason for the changes is the FAA inspections of the CRJ series of aircraft. The FAA wants the planes inspected for what they describe as hardware issues that could cause problems with “flight control systems.” All
airlines are covered in this inspection call.
Barkley Regional Airport Executive Director Dennis Rouleau said, “Safety is always the top priority in aviation. While Houston flights will be temporarily reduced on Tuesdays and Saturdays, these inspections are necessary to ensure every CRJ aircraft meets the highest safety standards before returning to full service.”
Full service is expected to return in June following the completion of the inspections.
