VIEWPOINT | Pierre’s turbulent air service: We can do better

Guest column by Kevin Kumpf, Pierre resident

It should not come as a surprise that the Pierre-Minneapolis flight has come to an end. Like many, I do enjoy the familiarity of the Minneapolis airport and its lack of congestion. A year ago, however, when the option between adding a flight from Pierre to either Minneapolis or Chicago was proposed, based on public input, interline agreements and destination appeal, Chicago was the better option.

RELATED: City of Pierre, Denver Air nixing eastbound flight

It’s not news that Pierre has struggled with reliable air service for some time, but what makes this latest chapter most frustrating is that it seems entirely predictable - a misstep that could have been avoided by Denver Air Connection, U.S. Department of Transportation, or the city.

When the Essential Air Service (EAS) submissions were being made and there was a potential for a change in service, I read the five criteria for the selection, one being, “the preferences of the actual and potential users of air transportation at the eligible place, giving substantial weight to the views of the elected officials representing the users of the service.” I reached out to the mayor, and in response to my inquiry, he directed me to the federal docket where comments could be officially recorded. I did, as did a half dozen people from our community. What’s interesting is that those that took the time to provide input through the official means, favored Chicago: