More than double the number of passengers flew to or from the Prince George Airport in the first three months of the year than during the same period last year.
A total of 19,370 people flew in or out of Prince George in January, 20,559 in February and 27,503 people in March, a statement issued by the airport on Tuesday said. That’s up significantly from 7,831 in January 2021, 6,834 in February 2021 and 7,939 in March 2021.
However, passenger loads in January and February this year remained roughly half of pre-pandemic levels. In January 2020, 39,015 people flew through Prince George and 40,353 in February 2020. The start of the COVID-19 pandemic saw the number of passengers flying to and from Prince George drop to 24,964 in March 2020.
By April 2020, air traffic in Prince George had dropped to only 1,899 passengers in a month. Since July 2021, the Prince George Airport has seen monthly passenger levels consistently in the 20,000 to 30,000 range.
The airport has upgraded its phone system and contracted an answering service to help answer customer questions about travel on weekends.
“We understand that the rules surrounding COVID change quickly and that knowing the difference between provincial and federal regulations can be confusing,” Prince George Airport president Gordon Duke said in a statement issued on Tuesday. “Having an answering service helps to ensure customers are getting the answers they need in a timely manner.”
Wearing masks is still required in the airport, and proof of vaccination is required to fly, under federal aviation rules.
The airport has seen announcements from Air Canada and Westjet about increasing flight frequencies this summer, and Flair Airlines announced a new seasonal service to Tucson from Dec. 2 to March.
Farmhouse Catering has started renovating the restaurant space and is expected to open later this year. Copilot Cannabis is working through the regulatory process to bring the world’s first airport cannabis retailer to the Prince George Airport.
The Prince George Airport Authority will be hosting its annual public meeting on May 11, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at the BC Railway and Forestry Museum.
