No recommendation was made about hiring a consultant to help boost Grand Forks air service at last night’s (Monday) Committee of the Whole meeting – not because of a lack of support…but because the council lacked a quorum.
Only three members were present to hear the pitch for releasing an R-F-Q…or Request for Qualification…for aviation consultant services.
Falling passenger numbers and leakage to other airports has limited the number of flights at the GFK. City Administrator Todd Feland says it’s truly and economic development issue. “Every meeting we’ve been at regarding economic development the airport comes up.”
Council President Dana Sande says challenges within the airline industry is also partly to blame. “They’ve gone to bigger airplanes because there are fewer pilots. We have about the same number of seats in and out of Grand Forks but only three flights instead of five or six.”
According to the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission just over 92,000 passengers went through the GFK in 2023. That compares to nearly 143,000 in 2014.
The full council will consider the request next week.
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