Sault Airport sees record passenger levels in 2016

NEWS RELEASE

SAULT STE MARIE AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT CORP.

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The Sault Ste. Marie Airport saw a record number of passengers in 2016, a total of 211,614 passengers flew into and out of the Sault Ste. Marie Airport on Air Canada Express, Bearskin Airlines, Porter Airlines, and Sunwing Airlines making it the busiest year in SSMADC history. 

The previous record was set in 2015 at 201,347.

The month of December was the 8th straight record month and in total 10 new monthly records were set in 2016. Also of note in 2016 a record for passengers in one month was set in August at 19,592 only to be broken in October at 20,040.  

For the year 2016 the 211,614 passengers that used the Sault Ste. Marie Airport was a 5.1% increase from 2015. Since the low passenger level of 121,991 experienced in 2010, passenger levels have increased by 89,623 per year which is a growth of 73.5% over the 6 years.  

“The record passenger levels is partially a result of the reduction in leakage to other airports and an increase in American passengers,” said Terry Bos, President and CEO of the SSMADC. “With competitive air fares from the main airline carriers and the lower value of the Canadian dollar seen in 2016 it has helped to attract passenger back to flying from Canada.”

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