EDMONTON – The Airport Improvement Fee at the Edmonton International Airport (EIA) will increase by $5, rising to $30 per departing passenger.
The new fee will take effect for travel on or after July 1, 2014 for tickets sold on or after February 1, 2014.
Improvement fees are collected by other major airports in Canada to help offset the costs of infrastructure, including runway improvements or new facility construction.
To compare, Toronto’s Pearson International Airport charges departing passengers a $25 AIF, Vancouver’s Airport Authority’s AIF is $20, the AIF at the Calgary International Airport increased to $30 this year.
“As the fastest-growing major airport in Canada over the last 10 years, this increase will help fund the growth and maintenance capital plans that we need to reach our target of 10 million passengers per year by 2020,” said Reg Milley, president and CEO of Edmonton Airports.
EIA’s director of Communications and Marketing explained the fee increase will help build infrastructure, like a third runway, to accommodate the growing number of passengers using EIA.
“In 2004, we were just over 4 million – 4.4 million that year – and we’re looking at a few years from now, being 10 million. That is massive growth that we’re looking at,” said Heather Hamilton. “So it’s just planning ahead for some of the projects that are going to be needed to accommodate that.”
EIA will only collect Airport Improvement Fees (AIF) from departing passengers. EIA says other sources of revenue – including parking, concessions and real estate development – cover the regular operating costs and expenses of the airport.
The AIF was introduced at EIA in 2000, and at that time, the fee was $10.
In 2012, EIA collected $71.1 million in AIF. The airport estimates it will collect about $75 million in 2013.
“I like to progress, so that’s nice, but as far as paying an extra $5 to go to Calgary… I will drive,” said traveller Pamela Pope.
“What am I getting for that extra $5?… I guess time will tell.”
“Now it’s $30,” added traveller Robert Dunn. “Seems like this airport is nothing but a long-term construction project constantly rolling capital forward to pay for their ideas.”
“I see the improvements being made… but it just seems like it never ends.”
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