2020 was not a good year for Kamloops airport, and 2021 is off to a rough start

Kamloops Airport has released its passenger counts for 2020, and the numbers are low, as expected.

Through 2020 the airport saw a nearly 66% drop in passengers when compare to 2019, according to an airport media release. The total count was 123,675 this year, compared to over 361,000 in 2019.

The fourth quarter results took a large portion of the hit with an 83% drop in passenger traffic. There was 91,612 passengers through Fulton Field in 2019 compared to 15,270 in 2020.

READ MORE: Air Canada suspends flights at Kamloops and Penticton airports

The airport said it expects traffic to remain low until pandemic travel restrictions and advisories are pulled.

It also reminds passengers to watch for schedule changes to be sure travel arrangements are not impacted.

READ MORE: Pacific Coastal lands in Kamloops to provide flights to Vancouver

Fulton Field is already off to a slow start to 2021 as well.

Since Air Canada and Central Mountain Air placed temporary suspensions on Kamloops flights, the City has been working to negotiate commitments from other airlines with some success with Pacific Coastal Airlines.

The airport also reminds passengers that they are required to follow provincial and federal health guidelines. This includes wearing masks, maintaining physical distancing and quarantine measures when needed.

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