Looking back on 2024, the Saskatoon Airport had several significant achievements.

President and CEO of the Saskatoon Airport Authority Stephen Maybury says they are 98 per cent recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic, which brought record-low passenger numbers.

Also, “In 2024, we received the award for Best Airport in North America from Airport Council International. Culturally, it’s just a massive pick-up to morale.”

He adds that investments from WestJet and the launch of Porter Airlines were both substantial highlights, as they benefitted both the airport and the city as a whole.

Coming up in 2025, Maybury says the airport’s arrivals area will be modernized. Predesign work is underway, and construction will begin in the new year.

The airport is also moving forward with the development of a near 1-megawatt solar plant that will power up to 20 per cent of the terminal building.

However, it’s not all great news. Maybury explains that the airline industry is facing a shortage of pilots, aircrafts, and air traffic controllers.

“There’s a shortage of them (air traffic controllers) in market which presents some of the larger hub airports with cap issues, so they’ll actually cap the capacity.”

When it comes to aircrafts, “There have been backorder delays from Boeing. There are some Airbus issues that are being resolved, as well.”