Sault Airport passenger totals still far below pre-pandemic numbers

While steadily rising, passenger totals at the Sault Ste. Marie Airport are still well below pre-pandemic numbers.

With the recovery stretching into 2024, CEO Terry Bos said the lower numbers could well be the new normal.

"We really saw it slow down from about July onwards," said Bos.

"So, it's been a little struggle as we've come through the fall and into the winter. But, overall, we did grow about 20-some per cent last year and brought us back to about 75 per cent of what we were pre-pandemic. So, still a really long way to go for us."

He said the absence of Sunwing this year will certainly be felt.

"That’s going to hurt us through January, February, March and April," Bos said.

"But we are looking forward to, hopefully, a full summer schedule from Air Canada this year."

He said there are no plans for expansion, or any other major projects, scheduled for 2024. The Sault Airport saw just more than 160,000 passengers pass through the doors in 2023, far below the more than 211,000 passengers in 2019.

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