Passenger volumes at Kamloops Airport continue to increase with each passing quarter as the airline industry continues to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to data released Tuesday, the 80,867 passengers processed in the first three months of 2023 was a 50.6 per cent increase compared to the 53,690 passengers during the first three months of 2022.

“Passenger traffic is currently 80 per cent of pre-COVID record levels,” YKA Managing Director, Ed Ratuski said, referencing the record 361,586 passengers processed at YKA in 2019.

Broken down further, there were 27,264 passengers in January this year, with 25,765 in February, and 27,838 in March – which included two weeks of spring break in the Kamloops-Thompson School District – making it the busiest three month period at Kamloops Airport in over a year.

“Passenger numbers for the first quarter of 2023 reflect the recovery of the aviation industry from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Ratuski added. “During the first quarter, there were significant increases in both inbound traffic to Sun Peaks and outbound travelers to sun destinations.”

The strong start to 2023 comes after a total of 257,374 passengers were processed last year, the most in a calendar year since 2019. There were 60,314 in the second quarter, 66,697 in the third quarter, and 76,673 in the fourth quarter – despite wide-spread travel disruptions and cancellations over the busy holiday travel period.

Ratuski is still expecting passenger numbers to surpass pre-pandemic levels early next year, noting new flights will help increase numbers this year.

“We are encouraged to see that both WestJet and Air Canada have included additional flights to Calgary and Vancouver respectively effective May 1,” he said. “We are also pleased to welcome Flair Airlines non-stop service to Edmonton on June 18.”

Speaking to NL News, Ratuski is hoping that the new direct flight to Edmonton – which was initially set to get underway on June 15 – is a sign of things to come for the airport.

“We’re staying in close communication with them for that route,” he said. “The industry is still in a bit of flux as we come out of COVID with crew and aircraft shortages but the latest we’ve heard from Flair is that they intend to operate the route to Edmonton three times weekly.”

The Alberta capital was a destination being targeted for direct air service to Kamloops along with Victoria and Toronto.

“Those routes have the potential to support non stop service so we are actively talking with carriers to serve those markets again,” Ratuski added.

No word on when – or who – will operate direct flights to B.C.’s or Ontario’s capital, though Ratuski says YKA wants to be ready for whenever the airlines are.

“Coming out of COVID, people want to get on the move again and that is where we’re seeing the numbers that we track very closely in terms of the routes and how people are getting there,” he said, noting the steady increase in passenger numbers since the depths of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021.