Passenger counts at YLW last year were down 64%

Photo: Ed Burke

The final count is done. Passenger numbers at the Kelowna International Airport were down 64 per cent last year, falling to levels not seen since 1997.

In 2020, passengers totalled 737,447, a staggering 1,294,572 fewer passengers than in 2019. The airport says it does not expect to return to pre-pandemic passenger numbers until 2024, at the earliest.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on Canadian airports and the aviation and tourism industries,” said Sam Samaddar, airport director. “Our focus for 2021 remains on a healthy and safe travel experience for everyone at YLW and ensuring the airport can continue to operate for essential services despite a significant loss in revenue.”

The pandemic brought unprecedented passenger growth at YLW between 2016 and 2018 — driven by expanded air service and population and economic growth — to a crashing halt.

Early in 2020, YLW had projected to reach 2.25 million passengers by 2025. But by April 2020, YLW’s 47 daily flights to 14 destinations had been reduced to nine daily flights to eight destinations.

The airport remains open to service those undertaking essential travel, as well as emergency services, medivacs and cargo operations.

“In 2021, YLW will remain focused on keeping operating costs low to ensure the airport is in a good financial position to take part in the recovery from COVID-19. YLW will also continue to identify new potential revenue streams through strategic development that can be reinvested back into the airport. By investing in development of airport lands, YLW will help create jobs, directly impacting our local economy,” the City of Kelowna said in a news release.