At the six-month mark of 2014 the Northwest Regional Airport’s passenger stats show a 61 per cent increase in traffic from last year.
“I don’t think we’re going to experience any down turn,” airport manager Carman Hendry said. “We’re going to level out, it’s all good news.”
The airport has also seen an increase of 52 per cent this fiscal year so far.
The regional airport has already had 121,137 passengers come aboard in 2014 meaning that the airport will most likely exceed last year’s 177,294 total.
The month of June alone saw 21,781 passengers travelling in and out of the Terrace-Kitimat area, with only one flight missed.
These numbers don’t just reflect all the summer vacationers but also the increase in industrial activity in the area. Ongoing development with liquefied natural gas companies, mining and river projects keep the airport busy, he said.
In response, the airport is expanding parking to hold 800 vehicles and expanding the apron to allow for a third aircraft to service the area.
They are currently waiting for a funding application for the expansion of the parking lot that will be coming in October, Hendry said, noting that construction will begin shortly after. The apron should also be completed in the fall.
Airport passenger figures come from scheduled carriers Hawkair, Air Canada Jazz, Central Mountain Airlines and WestJet and do not include chartered or private passenger totals.
With that being said, in June, Hendry said, charters carrying 1789 construction workers have also made their way through the terminal.
