Halifax Stanfield International Airport saw passenger traffic drop drastically and its flight schedule nearly dry up in “the most challenging year” it ever faced last year.
HIAA’s 2020 Annual Report, which it released on May 6, puts into perspective just how difficult 2020 was for an airport forced to grapple with the effects of the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic.
Flights, Passengers Down 75 percent
Prior to the pandemic, the airport had predicted it would offer 200 flights a day, with 17 airlines going to 46 destinations around the world.
But, over the course of the year it was forced to slash the number of destinations it offered by about 75 percent. At its slowest point, HIAA was connected to just eight other cities with as few as nine flights passing through a day. Passenger traffic at the airport reflected that change, falling by more than 75 percent in 2020.
“Even more staggering, two-thirds of our 2020 passengers went through between January and March,” HIAA’s annual report says. “Passenger activity from April to December was down 91 per cent compared to the same period in 2019.”
Over the course of 2020, 995,426 passengers passed through HIAA. That stands in stark contrast to the 4,188,443 who used the airport in 2019.
“In the 21-years HIAA has managed Halifax Stanfield, 2020 can easily be described as the most challenging year the airport has ever faced,” airport president and CEO Joyce Carter said in a news release.
The airport doesn’t expect to see passenger activity increase until more people are vaccinated and the 14-day quarantine for people arriving in Nova Scotia is lifted.
“Given the drastic reduction in passenger levels and the expected slow recovery, it is expected to be four to five years before we return to 2019 passenger levels and shift back into growth mode,” the report says.
Financial Strain
Disappearing traffic also put significant financial strain on the airport.
Last year, total revenue plummeted to $41-million, from $73-million in 2019, as revenue from flight activity, airport improvement fees, and concession partners all went down.
The airport says it took “immediate steps” to reduce its operating costs, however, many of its costs are tied to operational readiness and safety and couldn’t be cut.
Overall, the airport spent more than $40-million more than it took in in 2020, a number it called a “staggering change from the surplus of $7.5-million reported in 2019.”
Aside from closing portions of the building, dimming lights, and other cost-saving measures, the airport laid off 25 percent of its staff.
The airport says 70-90 percent of businesses inside the terminal also shut down for most of the year, meaning more lost jobs.
“The ongoing impact of Covid-19 on our industry is extraordinary, and our hearts go out to everyone affected by this pandemic, both personally and professionally,” the report said.
Cargo Services Suffered, But Still Offered Bright Spots
Although the airport’s cargo services were also hit hard by Covid-19-realted shutdowns, it fared better than the passenger side.
Cargo volume fell by 19 percent in 2020, down to 32,984 tonnes from 41, 129 in 2019.
In 2020, total exports were valued at $466-million, down from $621-million in 2019.
Seafood remains the province’s “dominant export commodity,” specifically, “highly sought-after” Nova Scotia lobster.
Live lobsters accounted for $268-million in export value and 14,604 metric tonnes, once again, making it our top export in both value and volume.
HIAA also saw a “modest increase” in cargo landings in 2020, as ASL Belgium chose the airport as one of its technical stop bases, moving crews previously stationed in New York to Halifax.
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