A new commercial airline will begin providing service for the Pierre Regional Airport in June.
Mayor Steve Harding says the US Department of Transportation has selected Denver Air Connection to fulfill the Essential Air Service contract for Pierre.
Harding says Denver Air has an interline agreement with Pierre’s current commercial air service provider SkyWest, which operates through United.
Again, come June 1, 2021, half of Pierre’s flights to Denver will be shared with Watertown, despite city officials from both towns being happy with the service provided by SkyWest.
Watertown mayor Sarah Caron says they will ask US DOT to reconsider its EAS provider choice for the two towns.
As the contract holder, the USDOT has its own review process to determine if an airline will be selected to serve an EAS community. When awarded an EAS contract, commercial airlines receive a federal subsidy to make air service affordable in remote communities like Pierre and Watertown.
The two-year contract with Denver Air Connection will begin June 1, 2021. SkyWest will continue to provide commercial air service until then.
Three airlines, Boutique Air, Denver Air Connection and SkyWest, submitted bids for the new contract.
Image credit City of Pierre.
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