A two-per-cent bump in the number of air travellers in Canada’s capital helped the Ottawa International Airport set a new record for annual passenger traffic, according to figures published by the airport.
Nearly 4.84 million passengers used the Ottawa Airport last year, up from 4.74 million in 2016.
The growth was entirely concentrated in domestic travellers and came despite U.S. and other international passenger volumes sinking to the lowest level since 2008.
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On the international front, Air Canada connects Ottawa to Frankfurt and London’s Heathrow Airport. However, the country’s largest carrier has focused its international network development over the last decade on its three largest hubs – Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver – according to industry publication Routes Online. It cites data showing that Air Canada reduced its international departure capacity in Ottawa by 10.5 per cent between 2010 and 2017.
Meanwhile, on the U.S. transborder front, at least two airlines are adding capacity. Porter launched direct flights between Florida and Canada’s capital in mid-December on a season route that’s scheduled to end at the end of this month. Additionally, American Airlines is scheduled to add a year-round third daily flight between Ottawa and Philadelphia starting May 4.
