THUNDER BAY – BUSINESS – The growth and importance of aviation on Northern Ontario’s economy continue to expand.
For the third consecutive year, Thunder Bay Airport (YQT) has posted record passenger volumes. Volumes reached an all-time high of 869,404 passengers in 2018. Traffic grew by 2.9% over 2017 volumes compared to 4.5% growth the previous year.
Despite the strong numbers, demand shrunk slightly in the fourth quarter of 2018. “We expect that passenger demand is reaching a ceiling over the short term,” speculated President and Chief Executive Officer, Ed Schmidtke. “Demand has grown by 12% over the past three years. We anticipate 2019 volumes to resemble 2018’s and finish in the range of 860,000 to 875,000.”
The Airport Authority is encouraged by the expansion of winter charter capacity to start the year and by this summer’s arrival of the Victory Cruise ships which could transfer as many as 400 new passengers at the Thunder Bay Airport.
About TBIAA
TBIAA is the private, non-shareholder corporation responsible for the operation of the Thunder Bay International Airport. TBIAA receives no government funding for the operation of the Airport. Economic activity related to the Airport is responsible for an estimated $645 million dollars in GDP annually and over 5000 jobs.
Customers are encouraged to visit www.thunderbayairport.com for more information on services and facilities offered by Thunder Bay International Airport.
