Less than a year after the last increase, the Kelowna International Airport (YLW) is asking city council to approve higher airport improvement fees.
The airport wants the current airport charge of $20 per departing airline passenger to be increased to $25 next March.
YLW says it needs the money to refresh aging infrastructure and pay for major expansion projects over the next decade to keep pace with the airport’s growing popularity.
In a report to city council, YLW’s senior airport finance and corporate services manager says the number of passengers using YLW increased 38 per cent between 2013 and 2018.
More than 2 million passengers passed through the airport in 2018 and the airport is preparing to service more than 2.5 million in the future.
Construction of a $60.8 million terminal expansion is just one of the capital projects the airport has targeted for next year.
This project, which won’t be finished till 2023, will see the construction of a larger departure lounge with more food service locations, as well as a larger security area which the airport hopes will cut down on wait times.
Over the next decade, factoring in inflation, the airport is projecting it will need $220 million for all the capital upgrades it has planned.
The airport argues increasing the airport improvement fee to pay for those upgrades will not put it out of step with other airports in the country.
YLW’s report to city council shows a range of airport improvement fees, with Fort McMurray, Alta. charging $40 per departing passenger while the London, Ont. airport charges $7.
In Calgary and Edmonton the fee is $30. Vancouver currently charges $20 for those traveling outside of B.C. but will be increasing its fee to $25 in January. Victoria charges $15.
YLW’s airport improvement fee last increased in April 2019 when it went from up from $15.
Along with increasing airport improvement fees, YLW is also looking to increase landing and terminal fees by 2 per cent next year.
The proposals are up for discussion at Kelowna city council this week.
—With files from Sean Boynton
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