Winnipeg’s airport records busiest day ever
Winnipeg’s airport hit its busiest day on record last quarter as it continues toward its goal of reaching pre-pandemic traffic levels.
The WAA said 15,400 people passed through Winnipeg Richardson International Airport on Aug. 14.
This summer’s airport traffic nearly aligned with pre-pandemic numbers — 1.2 million passengers passed through between July and September, which is 99 per cent of the traffic during the same timeframe in 2019.
The Winnipeg Richardson International Airport (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files)
The Winnipeg Airports Authority attributes the busyness to seasonal summer travel. Its revenue jumped 18 per cent year over year, to $45.3 million in 2023’s third quarter.
“The last three months have been really encouraging,” Nick Hays, the WAA’s chief executive, said in a news release.
The airport authority’s net income rose to $8.1 million, an increase from $4.4 million in 2022’s third quarter.
Still, the organization expects financial recovery to take several years. Hays said last week that he thinks recovery will take at least a decade.
The WAA took on a $100-million bond during the COVID-19 pandemic. It couldn’t close operations despite most travel halting.
Winnipeg air cargo traffic remained steady last quarter. It declined by 0.9 per cent, a slight decrease compared with the seven per cent drop globally.
The WAA made a number of announcements this summer, including launching its direct flight to Atlanta via WestJet and heralding the arrival of Toronto-based Porter Airlines.
