(Image credit: CFJC Today/File photo).

By Aaron Schulze

YKA Quarter Three

YKA seeing increase in traveller totals; still far behind pre-pandemic figures

Nov 2, 2022 | 11:50 AM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops Airport (YKA) continues to see more travellers in the summer compared to earlier years in the COVID-19 pandemic, but numbers show it still has a way to go to catch up to pre-pandemic figures.

In a news release issued Wednesday (Nov. 2), YKA Managing Director Ed Ratuski says, in the third quarter of the fiscal year, the airport saw a 134 per cent increase compared to the same quarter in 2021.

In the third quarter of 2022, YKA says it saw 67,327 travellers – 21,846 in July, 23,185 in August, and 21,666 in September – compared to the 28,773 – 7,310 in July, 10,104 in August, and 11,359 in September – in the same period in 2021.

The year-to-date numbers for 2022 (180,701) are 293 per cent higher than 2021 (45,983). The third quarter of 2022 alone saw more passenger traffic than the first nine months of 2021.

However, the year-to-date numbers in 2022 are a 33 per cent decrease compared to the 269,726 seen in 2019. Additionally, the 67,327 third quarter travellers in 2022 is 21 per cent fewer than the 84,748 in the third quarter numbers in 2019.

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“Although COVID-related travel restrictions have been lifted, passengers are reminded that the global airline industry continues to experience challenges with crew resources and flight interruptions,” Ratuski says.

Passenger are encouraged to complete their check-in online to avoided extended wait times at the airport during the holiday season.