Deer Lake Regional Airport saw monthly records in July and August, but its overall numbers decreased for the second year in a row in 2018.
The nearly 14,000 fewer travellers last year, representing a four per cent decline, was far more than the drop of just 864 experienced from 2016 to 2017.
Prior to that, the airport had enjoyed seven years of increases, including jumps of around 25,000 people I 2014 and 2016.
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According to a press release issued Monday by the Deer Lake Regional Airport Authority, the first half of 2018 continued a downward trend as month-over-month traffic decreased in each of the first six months when compared to the previous year. Passenger traffic rebounded from July to October.
The airport authority cited the region’s strong tourism product for the record 49,396 passengers in July and 51,038 passengers in August — the busiest month the airport has ever had.
The ongoing decline in commuting worker traffic, as the Muskrat Falls Hydro project nears completion and the oil industry in Alberta not yet rebounding, are considered the main factors for the overall downward trend.
The authority said it is still pleased with the airport’s performance and is confident traffic will rebound when the economy improves, just as it got better since the worldwide recession in 2009.
Here are the total number of passengers who used Deer Lake Regional Airport since 2007:
- 2007: 278,532
- 2008: 293,847
- 2009: 267,851
- 2010: 268,919
- 2011: 292,019
- 2012: 306,071
- 2013: 310,776
- 2014: 336,789
- 2015: 341,072
- 2016: 366,050
- 2017: 365,186
- 2018: 351,463
Source: Deer Lake Regional Airport Authority
