YLW takes dramatic hit

Kelowna International Airport hasn't seen passenger numbers this low in decades.

YLW manager Sam Samaddar says passenger traffic at the airport was down 96 per cent in April, the first full month they felt the effects of the worldwide travel slowdown due to COVID-19.

"We had nine airlines running, and we were down to two for the month of April," said Samaddar.

"We had a total of eight flights predominately to two destinations, Vancouver and Calgary."

During the month of April, just 5,700 passengers passed through YLW, down from 155,000 the same month last year.

March numbers, which were only partially affected by COVID-19, were down 45 per cent.

For the first four months, Samaddar says 459,000 passengers went through the airport, a decrease of 35 per cent.

"What we're projecting as we slowly climb out of this, by time we finish the year, we'll handle around 750,000 passengers, which would bring us to 1997 levels."

Samaddar says the airport has gone through some voluntary and involuntary layoffs, instituted work share programs and reduced hours.

But, certain aspects of the business still have to operate.

"We have other parts of the business such as Medivacs, cargo aircraft, corporate aviation. Those types of people are still coming through the airport.

"We have some regulatory obligations we just can't walk away from."

The dramatic drop in passenger traffic means a significant reduction in fees which are used for airport improvement projects.

That means $220 million in improvements, including a $109 million terminal expansion, a $20 million apron expansion and a $2 million self-serve baggage drop have been put on hold.

Samaddar says those projects, based on expansionary growth will have to be moved to a later date.

He says even as airline traffic slowly resumes, consumer confidence will play a role in passenger demand.

In 2019, YLW handled about two million passengers.

Samaddar doesn't expect to see those numbers again until at least 2023 or 2024.