Airline passenger traffic in October at Hector International Airport showed an increase as compared to the same month in 2004.  In October 2005 the passenger enplanements were 22,731.  This is an increase of 7.7% when compared to the October 2004 passenger enplanements of 21,112.  Total passenger count for the month was 44,823, which is up 7.1% over the same period last year.  Passenger enplanements for 2005 in comparison from 2003 to 1996 were 11.3%, 14.5%, 33.0%, 11.2%, 19.9%, 29.0%, 34.9% and 28.6% respectively. 

In October 2005, Northwest Airlines operated eight daily flights to Minneapolis with Airbus 319/320, DC-9, RJ85 and CRJ aircraft.  On October 30, Northwest Airlines began four weekly non-stop flights to Las Vegas.  United Express had three daily flights to Chicago and three daily flights to Denver with the CRJ aircraft.   

Allegiant Air initiates twice weekly non-stop service to Las Vegas on November 7 utilizing the 150-seat McDonnell Douglas MD-83 aircraft.

Total aircraft operations increased in October 2005 as compared to the same month in 2004.  In October 2005, the total aircraft operations (take-off and landings) were 6,313.  This is an increase of 11.2% when compared to the October 2004 total aircraft operations count of 5,679.  General aviation activity accounted for 61% of the total aircraft operations; air carrier activity accounted for 30% and military activity accounted for 9%.