Birmingham Graduate’s Lakeshore Express Makes it Easier than Ever to Fly to Chicago

It's easier than ever before to get off Mackinac Island and into Chicago in a hurry.

A new public charter airline, Lakeshore Express, is offering service from Oakland County International Airport, Chicago Midway Airport and the Pellston Regional Airport, the Oakland Press reports.

The new charter airline was founded by 1996 Birmingham Seaholm High School graduate Greg Stallkamp, 36, of Chicago.

He said almost a third of his graduating class moved to Chicago.

“We knew, in terms of this route, there’s so much traffic going back and forth all of the time,” he said.

Stallkamp’s classmate, Jason Ribits, 36, of Berkley is the carrier’s director of sales and marketing. He said the service offered by Lakeshore Express “is a private flight experience for less than commercial fares.” Fares generally are in the $150 range each way.

Lakeshore Express was founded in 2012 and offered flights between Chicago and Pellston. Service at Oakland County International Airport in Waterford Township was added last year, offering four round trip  flights per route per year. Daily flights between Waterford and Chicago may be available by midsummer, the newspaper said.