PIERRE, S.D.(KCCR)- March was the worst month yet for enplanements to Minneapolis.  Airport Liaison to the Pierre City Commission Jamie Huizenga says March barely passed 1,000 total passenger boardings at Pierre Regional Airport.

In the first four months of service to Minneapolis enplanements have been 99, 88, 83 and 73, falling each month.  Denver enplanements since December have been 1,230, 883, 827 and 929.  Huizenga says the performance of the Minneapolis route has not been what they’ve hoped.

Denver Air Connection had 53 scheduled flights in and out of Pierre in March.  Fifty-one of 53 arrivals were on-time for 96-percent.  Forty-nine of 53 departures were on time for 92-percent.  No flights were diverted or canceled.  Mayor Steve Harding says despite the poor numbers the city is not ready to give up on flights east.

The United States Department of Transportation has given the City of Pierre and Denver Air flexibility to split 12 weekly round-trip flights between Denver and Minneapolis.  The current contract expires in May of 2025.