Growth in service and passenger traffic at the Fredericton International Airport means economic growth for New Brunswick
Results from the first three quarters of 2017 are in, and the Fredericton International Airport is once again on track for a record year. Building on seven consecutive years of record-breaking growth, passenger traffic has grown by another five per cent so far in 2017. That means 15,000 more passengers compared to the same period in 2016… and we still have three months to go.
Passengers arrive on the inaugural Porter flight to YFC on September 12, 2017.
These are business travellers, investors, tourists visiting our region, and New Brunswickers exploring the world. They’re international students coming to study at our world-class universities and sports teams travelling to tournaments. Soldiers headed to, or coming home from, exercises throughout Canada, the United States, and overseas.
With the launch of Porter Airlines in September, these travellers now have even more choice when making their travel plans.
The Fredericton International Airport now has three year-round carriers along with two sun charter airlines. Travellers can choose to fly via Ottawa, Montreal, Halifax, Toronto’s Pearson airport, or Toronto’s Billy Bishop airport, year-round. During the winter season, YFC now offers direct flights to five sun destinations: Cancun, Cayo Coco, Cayo Santa Maria, Puerto Plata and Punta Cana.
This continued and consistent growth in air service is significant for our region’s quality of life and for our economy.
Competition on a route will stimulate the market, which means more people will choose to fly, and they will fly more often. Traffic numbers at YFC are proof of this: as new sun destinations, new carriers, or additional flights on an existing carrier are added, passenger traffic goes up. That increase in travel creates economic benefits for our whole region, increasing employment and adding revenue at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels. For example, research shows that just one new 50-seat aircraft, operating daily, will create an economic output of 5.2 million dollars in the local economy and create 9 FTE (full time equivalent) jobs.
Thank you to all of our travellers who support our region by choosing to #flyYFC. Working together, we will continue to help our community keep growing.
The Fredericton International Airport (YFC) serves over 377,000 passengers annually and offers direct daily service to the major hubs of Toronto (Pearson and Billy Bishop), Montreal, Ottawa, and Halifax, along with seasonal service to the popular sun destinations Cancun, Cayo Coco, Cayo Santa Maria, Puerto Plata and Punta Cana. Through direct, indirect and induced economic activity, YFC brings 513 jobs, $8.5-million in taxes, and $24-million in GDP to New Brunswick every year.