WASHINGTON, D.C. -- American Eagle, the regional affiliate of American Airlines, today announced plans to offer new nonstop jet service between Fayetteville, Ark., and Chicago O'Hare International Airport, subject to obtaining new hub access slots at O'Hare.

In an application filed with the Department of Transportation (DOT) today, American Eagle said it plans to offer three daily nonstop roundtrip flights between Fayetteville and Chicago using a 50-seat Embraer EMB-145 regional jet to be delivered in 1998.

"The potential for new slots at O'Hare and our long-awaited acquisition of regional jets provides for an exciting new opportunity for Fayetteville," said Pete Pappas, senior vice president of planning for American Eagle. "Our proposed service will connect Fayetteville to our Chicago hub, and from there travelers can connect to 100 cities around the world."

New service to and from O'Hare is currently prohibited due to a lack of available "slots," or specific times for airplane takeoffs and landings. But DOT is considering granting select exemptions to the slot restrictions to increase access to O'Hare for small- and medium-sized communities.

American Eagle's decision to apply for slots at O'Hare to serve Fayetteville with regional jets follows a number of discussions with U.S. Rep. Asa Hutchinson regarding air service to Arkansas. Hutchinson made a persuasive case that Fayetteville is a market with great potential, and American Eagle is looking forward to working with the state and the local community to promote the air service if the requisite slots are obtained.

American Eagle currently flies 13 daily roundtrip flights between Fayetteville and Dallas/Fort Worth using Saab 340B and ATR 72 turboprops.

American Eagle operates the world's largest regional airline system, with nearly 1,200 dally flights to 125 cities throughout the United States, Canada, the Bahamas and the Caribbean.