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(ADAM PROSKIW / iNFOnews.ca)
January 14, 2021 – 3:45 p.m.
Passenger numbers at Okanagan’s largest airport fell dramatically last year due to the impact of COVID-19 on air traffic.
Kelowna International Airport released 2020 passenger numbers today, January 14th, which is a whopping 64 percent decline. This corresponds to 1,294,572 fewer passengers than in 2019.
According to a press release from the City of Kelowna, the total number of passengers passing the terminal in 2020 was 737,447 in 2020, the lowest level since 2019.
This year’s decline follows several years of unprecedented passenger growth. At the beginning of 2020, the airport forecast that it would be able to reach 2.25 million passengers by 2025. By April, the airport’s planned 47 daily flights to 14 destinations had been reduced to nine daily flights and eight destinations.
CONTINUE READING: Without aviation help, Kelowna flights will become much more difficult
Although the airport is optimistic, once it is safe to do so, people will be flying in greater numbers. However, a prepandemic is not expected until 2024 at the earliest.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Canadian airports and the aviation and tourism industries,” said airport director Sam Samaddar in the press release. “Our focus for 2021 will continue to be on a healthy and safe travel experience for everyone at YLW and on ensuring that the airport can continue to be operated for important services despite significant revenue losses.”
The airport will continue to focus on keeping its operating costs low in 2021 to ensure it is in good financial condition to recover from COVID-19.
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