PIERRE, S.D.(KCCR & KWAT)- It was only a matter of time for boardings at Pierre Regional Airport to hit the magic threshold of 10-thousand enplanements. Airport Liaison to the Pierre City Commission Jamie Huizenga says enplanements have been steady since March.
September was the fourth best month of the year at Pierre for enplanements with July leading at 1440 followed by June at 1433; May at 1378 and September at 1333. The numbers are leading into the busiest time of the year, with pheasant hunting traffic ahead.
The Pierre City Commission also approved a one year renewal of it’s contract with it’s airline consultant ArkStar. Airport Manager Brian Cowles says ArkStar helps Pierre guide airport operations.
As for enplanements, Pierre beat Watertown September enplanements by 19 as Watertown had 1314. For the year Watertown enplanements are at 11-thousand-655 or 739 more than Pierre. Watertown in September had 761 passenger fly to Denver; 447 to Chicago and 106 Montana State Bobcat alumni who flew a chartered plane from Bozeman, Montana for the South Dakota State/Montana State football game September 9th.