St. John's International Airport is Breaking Passenger Traffic Records
Written by St. John's International Airport
St. John’s International Airport Authority (SJIAA) announced today that the number of passengers travelling through the International Airport in St. John’s continues to grow at rates well above the national average.St. John’s International Airport was one of only six airports in Canada that experienced an increase in passenger traffic in 2009 and for the first six months of 2010 the passenger traffic numbers have exceeded last year’s totals by 8.5%.This compares to the national average growth rate of 2.8%, reported by the top 32 Canadian airports.
The month of June was also the busiest June on record for the Airport, with 125,514 passengers travelling though its gates; an increase of 11.25% over June of last year.
“The continued growth in passenger traffic and its resiliency through the global recession clearly reflects the strength of our local economy.The fact that we live in a vibrant and growing city that is attractive to tourists and has an expanding oil industry has enabled us to be successful in recruiting new airlines to the region and in encouraging existing airlines to expand their route network,” said Keith Collins, President and CEO of SJIAA.
The addition of new airlines and new routes has resulted in a 10% increase in the availability of airline seats in 2010 compared to last year.This increase in capacity can be contributed primarily to the addition of Porter Airlines who offer 4 daily services to Halifax and beyond; the introduction of a new Air Canada daily direct flight to Goose Bay; the reinstatement of the Air Canada London-Heathrow flight for the summer season; and the extension of the Air Canada direct service to Ottawa from a seasonal to a year-round service.
“The increase in the choice of airlines and routes means that passengers are able to purchase a competitively priced airline seat and that seats are available when they want to travel,” added Mr. Collins.“One of the Authority’s major roles is to continually work with current and new airline partners to ensure that the services offered meet the needs and expectations of the travelling public in general, and our community in particular.The market in St. John’s continues to be very attractive to airlines and they have responded to this opportunity by expanding their services here.”
Passenger volumes at St. John’s International Airport have increased by 80% since the Airport was privatized in 1998; a rate that is double the national average.
St. John’s International Airport Authority is a private, not-for-profit organization with the mandate to provide the region with a safe, cost-efficient transportation facility that is a catalyst for economic growth.Under the provisions of a long-term Ground Lease with the Federal Government of Canada, the Airport Authority is responsible for the airport’s operations on behalf of the community it serves.
