Jan. 30—The COVID-19 pandemic certainly left its mark on 2020 — especially when it came to commercial travel at Aberdeen Regional Airport.
The total number of passengers on the twice-daily SkyWest commercial flights to and from the Twin Cities was about half of what it was in 2019, according to data provided by the airport. But that only tells part of the story.
Passenger numbers in both January and February of last year showed promise, according to the data. Both were higher than 2019 with a combined 9,434 passengers in January and February 2020 compared to 8,896 during the same two months the previous year. By the end of February, Aberdeen was about 6% ahead. But in March, as concerns grew about COVID-19, passenger numbers dropped. March saw a 44% decrease, followed by an even steeper decline in April.
Transportation Director Rich Krokel said passenger numbers started dropping about mid-March. The steepest declines continued for the next three months with SkyWest, which operates flights on behalf of Delta, reducing flights to one per day in May and June.
Flight capacity, which is usually 50 people, has been limited to 33 people since July 1. It's an extra safety precaution in response to the pandemic.
Aberdeen Regional Airport is designated as site for Essential Air Service. The federal government contracts with commercial airlines to provide air service at a supplemented rate. SkyWest is also under contract to provide two flights per day. Prior to 2019, passenger numbers in Aberdeen were increasing by about 3% a year, Krokel said. But, he said, Aberdeen won't be penalized for the 2020 decrease because the airline has passenger limitations in place.
"Everyone is given waivers," Krokel said. "EAS will continue as it has been."
The capacity limits in place on commercial flights followed three months of bleak passenger numbers that were 90% to 93% down compared to 2019. In April 2020, a total of 327 passengers arrived and departed on commercial flights in Aberdeen, a stark drop from 4,418 in April 2019.
That same trend continued in both May and June. Krokel said April, May and June were terrible, but Aberdeen finished the year with about half as many passengers as during a typical year. He's heard similar to reports from other airports.
But, Krokel said, passenger numbers continue to improve. Both Casey Cline and Patsy White were in Aberdeen for business and eager to return home Friday.
Cline, 34, who works in the power generation industry, said his trip, which took him from Seattle to Aberdeen, was his first flight since the pandemic began. He wasn't nervous to travel. The social distancing measures in place on the flights were a plus for him.
"I found it more beneficial as far as comfort," he said.
Still, he said, it's tough to enforce social distancing when passengers are standing in the aisles loading or removing bags in overhead compartments.
"Overall, travel has been pretty great," he said, though he noted a noticeable reduction in people at airports.
While, 58, is director of safety and compliance for TeamOne Logistics. She was heading home to Calera, Ala., Friday. Her trip to Aberdeen was her second time traveling this month, and she had no qualms about flying.
"I take precautions, and I hope everyone else does too," she said.
While she knows COVID-19 is real, she said, she doesn't dwell on it, and it hasn't changed her habits, aside from wearing a mask when she's out shopping or traveling.
Aberdeen City Councilman Alan Johnson regularly travels for his job as national marketing executive for Sable Hotel Supply and resumed flying in October. His ytips take him through the Minneapolis and Atlanta airports, both of which have been noticeably affected by the pandemic.
A once-bustling airport, Johnson said, many of the businesses at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport have been temporarily shuttered. At the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Johnson said he estimates about a third of businesses are temporarily closed.
"It's not anything like it used to be," he said.
While he continues to travel for work, which is a necessary component of his job, Johnson said he doesn't see a lot of the familiar faces he used to see coming and going from the Aberdeen. But he was encouraged to see an increase in passengers in November and December.
While it's tough to see fewer passengers, Johnson said, those who are flying are in good spirits and respectful of the social distancing measures. Flight attendants are also quick to remind travelers to keep their face coverings in place.
Passengers also board from the back of the aircraft to the front and exit from the front to the back.
Johnson said that with the procedures in place he feels he can fly with confidence and safety.
"I find it very possible to be careful and travel safely," he said.
Overall, Krokel said, he feels Aberdeen's airport fared OK.
"I feel we did good, based on what I've seen walking through the terminal," he said.
Krokel said COVID-19 has meant adjustments for both passengers and employees. Passengers have been allowed to bring a larger container of hand sanitizer on flights. Cleaning procedures are in place to sanitize the terminal in between flights, he said, and passenger are also required to wear a masks on flights. They're highly recommended in the terminal, he said.
Transportation Security Administration employees have also beefed up protections, he said. Employees started by wearing masks and now wear masks and visors. New barriers have also been installed between the screening agents and the general public.
Installation of those barriers started at larger airports earlier in 2020 and have now reached smaller airports like the one in Aberdeen.
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