Prairie Public NewsRoom
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

North Dakota airport boardings increase

Boardings at North Dakota airports are showing "healthy" increases across the state.

Kyle Wanner is director of the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission. He says boardings are up this month over last month in Fargo, Grand Forks, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Minot and Williston for an overall increase of 4.5 percent. He says on the year, boardings are up 3.26 percent. Wanner says North Dakota's strong business economy and strengthening oil industry may take some credit for this boost.

"In the western part of the state, we're definitely seeing more travel from the energy related sectors. So those communities are definitely growing in a positive way because oil prices have been higher than they have been in a couple years, and statewide our agriculture community has been doing better this year versus last year. Last year we had that very terrible drought, so in comparison to a year ago, things are going really well."

Wanner says he expects continued modest but sustainable growth in airline boardings throughout the rest of the year.