NEW: Denver Air submits only bid to serve Watertown Regional Airport (Audio)

December 20, 2022
Mike Tanner

WATERTOWN, S.D.–Only one airline submitted a bid to serve Watertown with commercial air service for the two year period beginning next June.

Monday was the deadline for interested airlines to submit bids to the Federal Department of Transportation for consideration.

Denver Air Connection was the only airline to do that. It’s a two year bid. They’ve been serving Watertown since July 1, 2021 with flights to Chicago and Denver.

KWAT News asked Denver Air’s Business Development Director, Jon Coleman, if he’s surprised they were the lone bidder…

Denver Air included an option in this latest bid to fly to a new destination–Minneapolis-St. Paul….

Coleman says if the Minneapolis-St. Paul route is added, the Chicago flights would be eliminated.

Even though they’re the only bidder, Coleman says they’re not taking anything for granted…

Coleman says they’ve forged a good relationship with Watertown over the past 18 months…

Denver Air’s current contract to serve Watertown under the Federal Government’s Essential Air Service program expires on May 31, 2023.