Calgary International Airport reports record number of passengers in 2023
The Calgary International Airport is looking ahead to another busy travel season, building off a record year, where more than 18.5 million passengers went through its terminals.
"We've recovered from the pandemic," said Chris Dinsdale, president and CEO of the Calgary Airport Authority.
"In fact, we're proud to be even stronger than we were pre-pandemic. We added new destinations both within North America and across the world. We've made long-term investments in our airport ecosystem significantly targeted to elevate the journey of our guests in the short and long-term."
- Sign up for breaking news alerts from CTV News, right at your fingertips
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
In July 2023, the airport set a monthly passenger record, only to beat it the following month.
"YYC remains the fourth busiest Canadian airport by passenger activity and is one of only two Canadian airports to exceed its 2019 volumes," officials said.
The average number of flights leaving YYC daily was also up last year, with the busiest day being July 16, 2023, when 278 flights took off.
Officials say getting to the airport has also become a lot easier for passengers, with recently completed renovations on the P1 parkade, improvements to parking lots, a new contract for taxi operators and the addition of Lyft ridesharing service.
More changes are in store at the airport, with work expected to begin on the rehabilitation of YYC's west runway.
Led by PCL Construction Management, the $201-million project is expected to begin this spring and continue in phases, with an estimated completion date near the end of 2025.
"This is a cornerstone initiative that includes the complete replacement of our west runway and various other segments of the overall infrastructure," Dinsdale said.
The initial piece of the runway was built in 1939, he says, and has been servicing an "increasing demand" of passenger and cargo transport.
Dinsdale says sustainability is also being kept in mind during the construction work.
"Eighty per cent of the existing runway will be recycled. It will be removed, crushed and put back into place, including asphalt, concrete, gravel and electric fixtures," Dinsdale said, adding that concrete will also employ carbon capture elements.
Additional work is also being done at the Springbank Airport, where $3.5 million is being spent to pave and restore a section of the east/west runway as well as upgrading the lighting on runway edges to LED fixtures.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
Oilers dominate Canucks, win to force deciding Game 7
The Edmonton Oilers avoided elimination from the NHL playoffs Saturday night, beating the visiting Vancouver Canucks 5-1 in Game 6 of their second-round series.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.