ALL TIME ENPLANEMENT AND TOTAL PASSENGER RECORD

Airline passenger traffic in March at Hector International Airport showed an increase as compared to the same month in 2005.  In March 2006 the passenger enplanements were 27,976.  This is an increase of 18.2% when compared to the March 2005 passenger enplanements of 25,247.  This was the busiest month ever on record at Hector International Airport.  Total passenger count for the month was 56,627, which is up 15.7% over the same period last year. 

In March 2006, Northwest Airlines operated eight daily flights to Minneapolis with Airbus 319/320, DC-9, RJ85, CRJ aircraft, and three weekly non-stop flights to Las Vegas utilizing the Airbus A319.  United Express operates three daily flights to Chicago and three daily flights to Denver with the Canadair CRJ aircraft.  United announced an additional Denver flight starting in May 4 and an additional Chicago flight beginning June 8.  Allegiant Air operates twice-weekly non-stop service to Las Vegas utilizing the 150-seat McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft.  Starting March 1, Allegiant added two additional weekly seasonal flights to Las Vegas.  On March 6, Delta announced it would begin non-stop regional jet service to Salt Lake City on June 8.

Northwest Airlines had 65% of the market share, United Express at 27% and Allegiant Air at 8% with a daily average of 1,826 passengers both arriving and departing.