Pierre recommending Denver/Minneapolis flight combo for next EAS contract

JANUARY 18, 2023:

For its next Essential Air Service contract, the City of Pierre is recommending the US Department of Transportation approve a combination of flights from Pierre to Denver and Pierre to Minneapolis.

Denver Air Connection was the only company to submit a bid to the US DOT to be the EAS provider for the Pierre Regional Airport. They submitted three options:

1. Pierre to Denver

2. Pierre to Denver and Pierre to Chicago

3. Pierre to Denver and Pierre to Minneapolis

Mayor Steve Harding says after many conversations, Pierre is proposing eight flights per week to and from Denver and four per week to and from Minneapolis.

Denver Air’s two-year bid includes a cost of $11.9 million for the Pierre to Denver and Pierre to Minneapolis routes and a $13.9 million price tag for the Pierre to Chicago route.

While the City of Pierre provides its preference on the EAS route and provider, ultimately the USDOT makes the decision. Friday (Jan 20, 2023) is the deadline for the cities to submit their preference and the US DOT should provide its response 30 or so days after.

The new EAS contract begins June 1, 2023, and will be in effect for two years.

DECEMBER 21, 2022:

Denver Air Connection was the only company to submit a bid for the US Department of Transportation’s Essential Air Service contract to provide commercial air service for the Pierre Regional Airport.

City Commissioner Jamie Huizenga says Denver Air’s bid included three options.

Denver Air’s two-year bid for the current EAS contract was about $9.5 million ($9,554,014), compared to the $11.9 million or $13.9 million options provided for the upcoming EAS contract. Director of Business Development Jon Coleman says everything has gotten more expensive.

Huizenga says the city looks at several factors when deciding what option to recommend to the USDOT, but ultimately the USDOT makes the decision.

After years of unreliable commercial air service from regional carriers at the Pierre and Watertown airports, Denver Air received both EAS contracts in 2021, rather than SkyWest who was the provider at the time. That prompted city officials from the two towns, the Governor and the South Dakota Congressional delegation to contact the USDOT asking that they reconsider and give the EAS contract to SkyWest.

Coleman says Denver Air is getting a friendlier reaction this time around.

Denver Air has become known for it’s assortment of in-flight snacks and Coleman says that will continue.

The new EAS contract begins June 1, 2023.