Airport traffic continues slow ascent toward normalcy

Passenger traffic at the Sault's airport is continuing a slow climb towards pre-pandemic levels, but is not there yet.

The airport released its latest numbers showing passenger levels were up 8% in June compared to the same month last year.

However, numbers still remain down 22% from pre-pandemic June 2019 levels when 17,331 passengers travelled through the airport, according to the latest stats from the Sault Ste. Marie Airport Development Corp. (SSMADC), the private not-for-profit corporation that owns and operates the airport.

In June 2020, traffic dropped to just 440 passengers amid widespread travel restrictions in the early months of COVID-19. In June 2021, a total of 2,253 passengers used the airport. That number rose to 12,481 in June 2022. Numbers for June 2023 were 13,500.

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Year-to-date passenger levels of nearly 80,000 passengers are an increase of 52.9% compared to last year, but remain down 23.6% from pre-pandemic 2019 levels, the SSMADC reports.

The SSMADC says the current flights provided at the airport are:

• Air Canada Express three flights daily as of July 1 
• Bearskin Airlines three flights Sunday; four flights daily Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday; six flights on Wednesday, schedule increased as of July 4
• Porter two daily flights Sunday to Friday; one daily on Saturday