Traffic at Cape Airport continues steady rise

Passenger boardings at Cape Girardeau Regional Airport continue to go up each month thus far in 2021, according to April figures released Tuesday by airport officials.

Last month, the City of Cape Girardeau-owned facility saw 545 "enplanements" for SkyWest Airlines, the Essential Air Service (EAS) carrier that has served the airport since December 2017.

The numbers persist in their upward arc thus far this year with 450 enplanements reported in March, 286 in February and 265 in January.

Actual vs. prediction

Volaire Aviation Consulting managing partner Mike Malloy told the Airport Advisory Board (AAB) he predicts the airport, once known as Harris Field, will reach 7,400 enplanements by the end of the year.

With fully one-third of the year in the books, SkyWest's passenger volume January through April stands at 1,546.

Pre-pandemic

Cape Girardeau Regional surpassed 10,000 yearly boardings in 2019, the first time enplanements had passed the five-figure threshold in more than two decades, entitling the airport to $1 million in federal funds.

Post-pandemic

Malloy told the AAB recently via teleconference while the country is in "an accelerated recovery," he remains concerned with the lingering effects of the extended COVID-19 emergency.

"I'm really concerned the Zoom habit may have changed (business flying) habits," he said in April. "Air carriers may have to chase more leisure traffic."