2018 In Review

To Provide Additional Flight Frequencies and Destinations

YOW’s effort to attract additional capacity and destinations is determined and ongoing. We meet with airlines to discuss the benefits of serving the National Capital Region. We also maintain dialogue with business organizations to understand travel needs and work together to attract sustainable routes. Aircraft are valuable assets, and airlines make their deployment decisions carefully, based on a market’s volume, its yield, and how that geographic location fits into their network strategy.

5 Million!

In December, the airport reached the very significant 5 million-passenger milestone. To mark the occasion, the Authority launched an online advertising and promotion campaign, called “Sparty on the Shelf” to drive engagement and awareness. In collaboration with the Ottawa Senators, we hid 19 Spartacat dolls in locations throughout the airport, pre- and post-security. Participants were encouraged to find Sparty, take a selfie with him, share it on Facebook or Twitter, tagging @FlyYOW and including the hashtag #YOW5million. Four raffle prizes were awarded, along with the grand prize featuring two round trip economy class flights to anywhere an airline flies non-stop from YOW, and $5,000 spending money.

From the nearly 1,000 entries received between December 12, 2018 and January 2, 2019, we drew the winning name. It looks like our winner, Tanya J. from the Smiths Falls area, is planning a getaway to one of our sunshine destinations in the near future. Congratulations to everyone who entered and won!

Air service development

Hitting the 5 million-passenger mark can be attributed to many factors, not the least of which was the resurgence in Transborder traffic. After several years of decline, this segment grew an impressive 11.3%. Delta’s service to LaGuardia has proven to be successful; American added an additional frequency to Philadelphia bringing their daily total to three; United added capacity to Newark and Washington-Dulles, also increasing the daily total for each destination to three.

Domestic traffic, which is still the airport’s strongest segment, grew 4.9%. This increase is due to Air Canada’s increase in capacity to Toronto-Pearson, and Calgary; Porter’s increased frequency to Toronto-Billy Bishop; and WestJet’s additional daily frequency to Vancouver and Halifax.

International traffic also saw gains to the tune of 2.5%. Air Canada’s year-round non-stop service to London, Heathrow continues to perform well, as does their seasonal Frankfurt service. Both Air Canada and WestJet reduced winter service to warm weather destinations; however, Sunwing filled the void announcing new routes to Miami, U.S. and Los Cabos, Mexico, for 2018, as well as serving an additional eight Florida and Caribbean destinations.

Total Nonstop Destinations

	TOTAL
1997	20
1998	21
1999	25
2000	26
2001	29
2002	30
2003	32
2004	25
2005	39
2006	44
2007	49
2008	49
2009	49
2010	50
2011	49
2012	49
2013	49
2014	50
2015	49
2016	46
2017	46
2018	47

Commercial Aircraft Movements

	TOTAL
1997	68,000
1998	77,202
1999	81,808
2000	78,301
2001	72,630
2002	68,499
2003	69,798
2004	69,626
2005	66,146
2006	65,396
2007	72,342
2008	79,777
2009	81,120
2010	86,009
2011	90,949
2012	90,697
2013	83,567
2014	78,073
2015	75,107
2016	74,345
2017	74,755
2018	77,728

Daily Nonstop Flights

	DOMESTIC	TRANSBORDER	INTERNATIONAL (WEEKLY)
1997	82	21	3
1998	88	23	6
1999	101	39	7
2000	93	43	7
2001	84	30	7
2002	80	35	8
2003	81	35	7
2004	71	35	7
2005	60	32	9
2006	60	29	9
2007	70	31	11
2008	77	32	13
2009	80	29	14
2010	86	30	17
2011	93	30	22
2012	91	31	25
2013	84	27	22
2014	80	24	23
2015	78	21	24
2016	80	20	23
2017	82	19	23
2018	85	20	20

Origin and destination
94.0% of traffic (estimated)