Photo: Castanet Staff

Expect to see more air traffic in the skies above the Tournament Capital.

That’s the message from Kamloops Airport managing director Ed Ratuski, who said each of the four commercial carriers — WestJet, Air Canada, Central Mountain Air and Pacific Coastal — flying in and out of Fulton Field will be increasing flight frequency as of July 1.

“As a gateway to the City of Kamloops and the Thompson-Nicola region, we are very pleased to welcome passengers back as they enjoy well-deserved summer vacations, re-connect with family and friends and experience the best of what our city and spectacular province has to offer,” he said Friday in a news release.

“Visitors to our airport can be assured of a safe, healthy and enjoyable experience as we continue to prioritize cleaning and sanitization and physical distancing.”

Ratuski said some highlights in the anticipated changes include more convenient connections to Victoria and the introduction of business class on some Air Canada flights between Kamloops and Calgary.

The air travel industry has been hit hard by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Numbers released by Kamloops Airport earlier this spring showed passenger numbers were down about 90 per cent in the first quarter of 2021 compared to pre-pandemic numbers.