“Moving in the Right Direction” – Winnipeg Free Press

Post-pandemic recovery at Winnipeg International Airport hit a new high last year, but officials expect traffic to slow in 2024.

“It was a strong end to a strong year,” Nick Hayes, president of the Winnipeg Airports Authority, said Tuesday.

Richardson International Airport reported that 957,081 travelers passed through its facilities in the last three months of 2023.

The airport's total for the year marked a post-pandemic milestone: 4,094,793 passengers, WAA's first four million passengers since the COVID-19 grounding of planes.

“Everything is moving in the right direction,” Hayes said.

However, he does not expect the new year to be one of abundant growth.

Crew and engine supply chain shortages could hamper airline expansion, he said, marking 2024 as a “consolidation year”.

“(For 2025 and beyond) we expect to return to growth mode as we approach pre-pandemic passenger numbers,” Hayes said.

Richardson International Airport was the busiest in 2018, registering 4,484,343 travelers. The following year (2019) 94 passengers were reduced.

WAA handled more than four million passengers from 2016 to 2019.

In 2020 and 2021, fewer than 1.3 million people passed through international airports amid pandemic health restrictions.

Despite expectations for growth to slow in 2024, WAA will continue to work to increase connectivity in Winnipeg, Hayes said.

It is also set to begin construction on a $120 million air cargo logistics facility. In December, Ottawa announced it would spend $19.4 million on the new site in 2019, on top of the $30.4 million promised.

“We're seeing a lot of demand for this space,” Hayes said, declining to name the businesses that have expressed interest.

Hayes said construction on the 120,000-square-foot facility — which will include an apron and taxiway — should begin this summer and be completed in two years.

In December, he said Free press The airport is “mainly at capacity” when handling cargo.

Despite this, total flight weight increased by 0.8 percent in the last quarter of 2023 compared to 2022.

Hayes believes the airport's financial recovery will take much longer than returning passengers. Its long-term debt has increased to about $700 million in 2021.

Preliminary financial data from last quarter shows an 11 percent increase in consolidated revenue to $40.5 million compared to the fourth quarter of 2022. Net income increased over the same period, adding $21.7 million over the year.

The WAA shares its year-end financial numbers at its annual public meeting in April.

Meanwhile, an aviation management expert at McGill University believes Winnipeg could return to pre-pandemic passenger levels this year.

“I think Winnipeg might be ahead of the curve,” John Greidek said Tuesday.

“If there's an airport and city and development program in Canada that's in good shape, basically weathering the COVID storm, it's Winnipeg.”

He highlighted new routes and airlines added to the Winnipeg network, including: United Airlines last month announced direct flights to Chicago and Denver; In 2023, WestJet launched a direct flight to Atlanta and Toronto-based Porter Airlines began operations in Winnipeg.

In 2022, WestJet launched a direct flight between Winnipeg and Los Angeles.

“You're seeing carriers suddenly showing a lot of interest in relaunching or reintroducing Winnipeg as a potential market,” Gredeck said. “I think this news is good for the Winnipeg airport.”

Discount and specialty companies such as Flair, Lynx and Porter offer competitive and, in some cases, low prices. They can attract people who might not otherwise travel, Gradek added.

Flights from Winnipeg to smaller markets like Victoria and Saskatoon are welcome, he said, but the problem is carrier capacity – there are too many planes.

Flights from Winnipeg to overseas markets would also be good, Gradek said.

The British High Commissioner is scheduled to be in Manitoba on Wednesday.

Hayes said he was unaware of the meeting with the diplomat, but said a direct flight to London was “on the radar”.

“It's in high demand,” he admitted.

Post-Covid-19 pandemic peak in 2023, with an increase of around one million passengers from 2022.

In 2023, the majority of travelers — 3.6 million — will be domestic travelers.

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Gabriel Piche
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Gabby is a big fan of people, writing and reading. She graduated from Red River College's Creative Communications program in spring 2020.

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