Despite the major challenges in the global and national economies, the Thunder Bay International Airport is still reporting a successful 2009.
The Airport Authority held its annual general meeting Tuesday night, which showed an increase in passenger volumes and aircraft movements last year.
More than 653,000 passengers utilized the airport in 2009, a 1.2 per cent increase over the previous year. Airport Chief Executive Officer Scott McFadden said net earnings from operations were more than $837,000.
Last fall, the Airport Authority also completed an 1,100 foot runway extension at a cost of $7.2 million. Before the investment by the airport, over 7,500 passengers were affected by load restricted flights. McFadden said since the extension opened, there have been no reports of load restricted flights or cancellations due to runway conditions.
While the AGM provided an opportunity to reflect on the year past, McFadden said 2010 is looking pretty good so far.
