Charlottetown Airport sets a course for recovery after pandemic travel lull

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — After a two-year lull, the Charlottetown Airport is anticipating a rebound this 12 months, mentioned the CEO.

Doug Newson spoke on the Charlottetown Airport Authority’s annual public assembly held within the worldwide arrivals space of the Charlottetown Airport on Might 2.

Till a number of weeks in the past, the house was full of Canada Well being Labs’ COVID-19 testing station for departing passengers, mentioned Newson.

“Though they have been nice to work with, we have been glad to see them gone,” he mentioned. “This room was principally arrange as a screening and testing location for Prince Edward Island. Them being gone hopefully alerts that we’re popping out of this factor and that we’re on our option to restoration.”

Round 40 airport employees and friends have been within the viewers, together with Bert van der Stege, head of economic finance with Swoop airline, and Shane Workman, head of flight operations with Swoop.

Workman was additionally the pilot-in-command of the inaugural Swoop flight into the Charlottetown Airport.

“Who’d suppose we’d be de-icing Might 1st,” mentioned Workman. “It was a blustery day, however we’ve seen that on the East Coast earlier than.”

Regardless of that, van der Stege was enthused with the welcome on the bottom.

“Finest ever inaugural (flight),” mentioned van der Stege in his remarks to the meeting.

He referred to as Charlottetown the “good match” for Swoop, an extremely low-cost service. For instance, a one-way flight to Toronto begins at $49.

“We actually consider there’s a actual curiosity by way of travellers desirous to reconnect with household and mates,” mentioned van der Stege.

After two years of restricted journey, Newson anticipates a busier-than-ever summer time for P.E.I.’s largest airport.

The airport was diminished to only 5 per cent of its typical exercise for the primary 15 months of the pandemic.

There was an almost $13-million influence on the airport and its income in 2020 and 2021.

The enterprise saved cash by delaying tasks and decreasing employees the place potential whereas sustaining airport security.

Exercise has began to rebound, because the previous 5 months have been round 50 per cent as busy as typical.

“We’re optimistic. It’s going to be a busy summer time right here,” mentioned Newson, including after the assembly that if all of the planes coming and going from P.E.I. are stuffed, it is going to be the largest season ever for the Charlottetown Airport.

“At the same time as we’re speaking about sturdy tourism numbers, we all know there’s going to be some challenges. We all know there’s going to be some challenges with some infrastructure on the terminal, however these are good issues to have once you evaluate them to what we’ve handled during the last two years and little or no to no visitors going.”

He recommends travellers arrive not less than two hours early for flights and warns to count on some lineups.

He closed his statements by saying the board would transfer forward with its eye on funds and security.

“We’re fairly enthusiastic about the way forward for the airport right here in Charlottetown,” mentioned Newson.