THUNDER BAY – If it seemed busier at the Thunder Bay International Airport last August, it was. The Airport set a new, all-time high for monthly passenger traffic. 65,974 passengers arrived and departed during the thirty-one days of August, eclipsing the previous record of 63,843 passengers set in May of 2007.
August 2010 volumes represent growth of 6.6% over 2009. Annualized growth continues at a rate of 7.4%.
Scott McFadden, President & CEO of the Thunder Bay International Airports Authority (TBIAA) stated “The Board’s Vision is for the Airport to continue to ensure the region has access to high quality, sustainable air service and be a major contributor to economic growth. This continued strong passenger growth demonstrates that our innovative and low cost approach to managing airports is achieving this vision.”
McFadden attributes the continued growth to the strong local economy, including special events such as the World Junior Baseball Championships, and ongoing competition in the Thunder Bay – Toronto market segment.
TBIAA expects air traffic to continue to rise through the foreseeable future. To accommodate expected growth, TBIAA will be tendering another parking and ground transportation expansion project shortly.
TBIAA is also in discussions with the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) attempting to improve the modifications underway on Princess St. and Highway 61 to include increased left turn lane capacity for traffic exiting the Airport.