Air Canada’s One-day Passenger Load Surpasses 100,000

[In The News]

DALLAS – For the first time since the start of the pandemic, Air Canada (AC) has flown more than 100,000 passengers in a single day.

The last time AC carried over 100,000 passengers in a single day was March 13, 2020. During the pandemic, passenger loads dropped as low as 2,175 on April 23, 2020, when worldwide air transportation came to a halt.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, AC transported over 150,000 people per day on average in 2019, including a single-day passenger-load record of 187,000 on August 16, 2019.

Air Canada Boeing 737-8. Photo: Michał Mendyk/Airways

Passenger Recovery Accelerates

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Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, said last week, “As the long-awaited recovery in air travel accelerates, it is important that our infrastructure providers are prepared for a huge increase in passenger numbers in the coming months.

The executive pointed out, “We are already seeing reports of unacceptably long lines at some airports owing to the growing number of travelers. And that is even before the surge of Easter holiday travel in many markets next week.” He wasn’t wrong.

According to FlightAware data, total delays within, into, or out of the United States today, April 18, are at 2,395, with global delays at 6,995 and cancelations at 1,830. Causes vary from severe weather to staffing shortages.

Walsh added, “The peak Northern summer travel season will be critical for jobs throughout the travel and tourism value chain. Now is the time to prepare. Governments can help by ensuring that border positions are staffed adequately and that background security checks for new staff are managed as efficiently as possible.”

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Featured image: C-FVNF Air Canada Boeing 787-9. Photo: Tony Bordelais/Airways

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