Sky-high passenger growth at Edmonton International Airport
Air carriers ramp up service as peak season begins
Edmonton — Surpassing the record-breaking pace of passenger growth in 2005, Edmonton International Airport (EIA) passenger volumes have jumped by 15 per cent in the first five months of 2006 over the same 2005 timeframe.
March 2006 was the busiest month ever at EIA, serving over 431,000 passengers. The previous one-month record was August 2005, when just under 430,000 passengers were served. Both April and May of this year posted phenomenal 20-plus per cent passenger growth rates.
“EIA is leading all other major Canadian airports in passenger growth so far in 2006,” says Reg Milley, President and CEO, Edmonton Airports. “In our region today we have a booming economy, the best-ever air service in our history and even more flight choices coming on tap over the next several months.”
Flight options boosted at EIA
The unprecedented expansion is being experienced as the peak travel season begins and major air carriers such as Air Canada and WestJet boost their service levels at EIA.
Air Canada
• Fort McMurray: increased to five daily flights
• Grande Prairie: increased to five daily flights
• Yellowknife: New daily non-stop jet flights begin July 4
• Kelowna and Victoria: New non-stop jet service begins August 1
• Montreal: re-introduced year-round service
• Toronto: increased to nine daily flights for the summer period
• Winnipeg: increased to three daily flights
• Calgary: increased to 19 daily flights
• Los Angeles: New daily service started May 1
• Las Vegas: Twice-weekly service starting Sept. 7
WestJet
• Abbotsford: new daily service
• Halifax: new daily seasonal service
• Toronto: increased to four daily flights
• Winnipeg: increased to three daily flights
• Victoria: increased to three daily flights
• Vancouver: increased to seven daily flights
• Grande Prairie: increased from 1-2 daily flights
• Hamilton: increased to two daily flights
With 43 non-stop destinations, EIA is the fifth busiest airport in Canada. EIA offers daily non-stop service to nine U.S. hubs — Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Seattle — allowing for one-stop access to virtually anywhere in the world.
Edmonton Airports’ vision is: To be the North’s preferred gateway to the World, and the World’s preferred gateway to the North.
Further Information:
Edmonton Airports Corporate Communications
Jim Rudolph, Phone: (780) 890-8454, Cell: (780) 717-5117
E-mail: jrudolph@flyeia.com