by April Scheinoha
Reporter
The U.S. Department of Transportation has approved Denver Air Connection’s bid to provide Essential Air Service at the Thief River Falls Regional Airport for the next five years.
The new contract starts June 1, 2022, and runs through May 31, 2027. As part of the contract, Denver Air will receive $5,801,556 for the first year of the contract to provide 12 roundtrip flights per week to the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. The contract includes a 3% annual escalator for years two through five. Denver Air will utilize 30-seat or 50-seat planes to accommodate passengers. As part of its bid, Denver Air projected 15,725 passengers annually with an average fare of $59.
“We’re thrilled to have the continuity of air service,” said Airport Manager Joe Hedrick. “Denver Air has proven themselves to be a great company, very reliable, good to work with.”
The approval comes after an Airport Authority recommendation that Denver Air continue to provide EAS here as part of a five-year contract. In the past, it has usually recommended a two-year EAS contract. Denver Air has served the airport since June 1, 2020.
Airport Authority Chairperson Darryl Tveitbakk announced the latest EAS contract award at the Pennington County Board meeting Tuesday, Feb. 22. Tveitbakk, a county commissioner, represents the county on the board.
Tveitbakk said Denver Air has a reliability rating in the mid-90% range. “That’s a refreshing change,” said Tveitbakk, who referred to past airlines serving the airport.
Hedrick previously told the Northern Watch that a 20-year high of 13,370 passengers flew last year with Denver Air in Thief River Falls. The airport averaged 9,510 passengers between 2016 and 2021. The year 2020 dragged the average down a bit since COVID led to fewer passengers. That year, there were only 4,966 passengers.
In an interview with the Northern Watch on Wednesday, Hedrick noted he was hopeful that the airport would serve 16,000 passengers this year. If that occurred, the airport would be eligible for additional $450,000 in entitlements. In a previous article, the Northern Watch erroneously listed that amount as $150,000, which is the amount the airport currently receives.
Passenger numbers may be aided by a new interline agreement between Denver Air and American Airlines. The airlines recently signed an interline agreement enabling passengers to book their flights on the American Airlines website and receive one airline ticket for their flights. Passengers’ checked bags will also be seamlessly transferred between their American Airlines and Denver Air flights. Tveitbakk said the agreement takes effect in March. Denver Air already has an interline agreement with United.