More Airline Seats = Record Passenger Numbers

ST. JOHN’S, NL, January 24, 2011 – St. John’s International Airport Authority (SJIAA) announced today that it reached a record total number of passengers travelling through its Airport in 2010 at more than 1.3 million. This total is 8% more than the 2009 passenger count and represents a growth rate that is twice the national average.

“The combination of a strong local economy, a province that has established itself as a must-see location for tourists and a city that is an increasingly popular destination for conferences has resulted in record numbers of business and leisure travelers at our Airport,” said Mr. Keith Collins, President & CEO of St. John’s International Airport Authority.

In addition to the substantial increase in passengers, the total number of available airline seats by all airlines providing service at St. John’s International Airport increased by 13% in 2010 compared to 2009. These seats were available on the more than 80 daily flights that provided direct service to and from destinations within NL, across Canada, into the US and to Europe.

The launch of Porter Airlines into the St. John’s market and the introduction of new flights by Air Canada substantially contributed to this increase in airline seat capacity. Porter Airlines commenced service into St. John’s in late 2009 and operates four daily flights to Halifax withconnections on to Ottawa and Toronto City Center. In 2010, Air Canada added a number of destinations to its breadth of route options. It extended its seasonal direct service to Ottawa into a year-round, daily service; reinstated the London-Heathrow flight on a seasonal basis; and introduced a new, daily flight to Goose Bay year-round.

Each of the last ten months was record-breaking in terms of passenger travel at St. John’s International Airport. With Westjet’s new service to Orlando, Florida about to commence at the end of February and a larger aircraft to be used for the direct daily flight to Newark beginning in March that will increase the total number of seats on the aircraft by 40%, this growth trend is anticipated to continue.

“We actively engage with our existing airline partners and pursue new airlines to provide air services at our Airport that will benefit both business and leisure travelers as well as support the economic development of our region. As our community grows and the demand for air service increases, it is critical to continue to grow airline and route options,” added Mr. Collins. “In order to ensure that the Authority’s air service development strategy effectively meets the needs of our community, we intend to connect on a regular basis with our stakeholders that have the ability to influence but also be impacted by the success of air service development initiatives.”

The Airport Authority has established an Air Service Development Committee that consists of stakeholders from within the business and tourism sectors. The participating entities will have an opportunity to provide input into the Airport Authority’s air service development strategy and communicate air service desires of their respective organizations. The committee is chaired by the Airport Authority’s President & CEO, Mr. Keith Collins.

St. John’s International Airport Authority is a private, not-for-profit organization with the mandate to provide the region with a safe, cost-efficient transportation facility that is a catalyst for economic growth. Under the provisions of a long-term Ground Lease with the Federal Government of Canada, the Airport Authority is responsible for the airport’s operations on behalf of the community it serves.