File photo (Image credit: CFJC Today).

By Aaron Schulze

YKA Growth

YKA sees 20 per cent increase in passengers in 2023

Jan 12, 2024 | 10:50 AM

KAMLOOPS — Kamloops Airport (YKA) saw substantial passenger growth year-over-year.

In a news release issued Friday (Jan. 12), YKA Managing Director Ed Ratuski says the airport welcomed 311,696 passengers in 2023 – a 21.1 per cent increase from the 257,374 in 2022.

In the fourth quarter of 2023, YKA says it saw 84,218 travellers – 25,971 in October, 27,406 in November and 30,841 in December. That’s a 9.8 per cent increase from the 76,673 – 24,835 in October, 25,770 in November, and 26,068 in December – in the same period in 2022.

“Although challenges stemming from the pandemic remain for the aviation sector, Kamloops Airport served 91.9 per cent of our 2019 [fourth quarter] pre-pandemic traffic,” Ratuski says. “We are optimistic the growth trend will continue toward a full recovery through 2024 as we work with out stakeholders in the airline, tourism and business sectors to amplify Kamloops as destination for both tourism and commerce.”

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Ratuski credits the fourth quarter growth to new services to Victoria and Vancouver via Pacific Coastal Airlines and WestJet Link and reintroducing early morning service to Vancouver via Air Canada.

Additionally, Ratuski says Pacific Coastal Airlines will increase its Kamloops to Victoria service by including Saturday flights starting in February.

YKA also briefly had service to Edmonton via Flair Airlines in the summer, but the route was discontinued as a Flair spokesperson said the demand between other cities exceeded Kamloops to Edmonton.