Fulton Field is celebrating 80 years in 2019 (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

YKA 80 YEARS

Kamloops Airport celebrating 80 years, planning for expansion

Jul 2, 2019 | 10:51 AM

KAMLOOPS — The first flight at the Kamloops Airport took off in August 1939.

Since the tarmac has opened, Fulton Field has grown exponentially, especially in recent years.

“We watch the passenger numbers very closely, so we hit a couple milestones more recently, that 325,000 passenger mark,” said managing director of YKA Ed Ratuski. “The passenger numbers continue to grow.”

Every year, about 27,000 flights arrive and depart at the Kamloops Airport.

Over the last 80 years, the airport has become a centerpiece of the city. With passenger numbers seemingly growing, its economic impact has become significant.

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“For business and commerce in the city of Kamloops, as well as for tourism and hospitality,” said mayor Ken Christian on Tuesday. “Winter with Sun Peaks and the relationship we have with the resort municipality. Summer with the golf courses and that.”

Flights to Vancouver and Calgary dominate passenger numbers at YKA, but there are also flights like the one direct to Toronto. It was introduced last summer and is back again for another year.

“The non-stop Toronto service starts this Thursday for the summer with Air Canada Rouge back this summer,” said Ratuski. “And we’re really encouraging the friends and family market. If people have friends they want to bring to the city.”

At one time during the oil boom in Alberta earlier this decade, Kamloops offered a direct flight to Edmonton. That route was cancelled in 2016. However, there is hope with a rebounding economy and the recent approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, the flight could return.

“I think that was one piece of the narrative that people didn’t understand when the oil sands slowed down — how many people were actually coming in and out of this airport related to that type of work,” said Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Peter Milobar. “Now we’re seeing that with other resource development in northern B.C. in terms of mines and other areas.”

Looking ahead, there are plans to expand the airport with more aviation-related business at Fulton Field in the next couple years.

“The airport itself has a fair amount of vacant land currently. So when we talk about aviation-related development, it’s aircraft maintenance, different types of aviation-support business,” said Ratuski.