For the first time since late last year, an E175 airliner landed at La Crosse Regional Airport, offering higher seating capacity for Coulee Region passengers.
The La Crosse Regional Airport has been working with lower capacity regional planes since winter of 2023, said JD Roberts, airport business manager.
“We’ll have these at least through the summer and hopefully longer,” Roberts said. “It’s imperative we fill these seats to prove to American Airlines and others that we’re ready to bring more here.”
The new aircraft features 76 seats on board, with first-class seating offered for the first time since the larger capacity planes first left. Before the new planes, American Airlines only offered aircraft with 50 seats.
La Crosse Regional Airport announced the expansion of American Airlines daily flight options and available aircraft in February. Out of the three daily flights, two will use the higher-capacity E175 aircraft. Both the afternoon daily flight and overnight flight will utilize the new planes.
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“We’re happy they decided to bring these planes back,” Roberts added. “It’s an important step for us and for American.”
American Airlines announced the purchase of 12 new E175 aircraft in March, with plans to purchase 72 of the planes by 2029. According to a release from American Airlines, the company expects to retire all of its 50-seat single-class regional jets by the end of the decade.
La Crosse Regional currently offers three daily American Airlines flights to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. Delta Air Lines left the airport in 2023, reducing potential seat capacity by one-third.