CEO talks about expected growth at the Deer Lake Airport and a $30M expansion to start next spring

CEO and President Tammy Priddle says Porter Airlines is really pleased with how the community has supported the company and it really comes down to people purchasing tickets on the aircraft.

It’s been a wild few months with more options coming, according to the head of the Deer Lake Airport. CEO and President Tammy Priddle spoke about growth at the facility on Bayfm with Lenny Benoit. She says Porter Airlines is really pleased with how the community has supported the company and it really comes down to people purchasing tickets on the aircraft. Porter just started this week with a service to Halifax three days a week, the Pearson Toronto route starts again in June for 5 days a week, and a new route with Porter to Ottawa will start June 10th  

Priddle says the airport is a vital piece of infrastructure for the region and a destination that people want to get to. However, she says there is a whole other side to the airport, with their runway open to medivac, search and rescue, the military and forestry protection services. 

Westjet is also coming back to Deer Lake this year with a direct service to Calgary in May and Sunwing is back this month flying to Punta Cana and Cancun. Priddle says since the Covid pandemic airlines are operating using smaller aircraft now and larger planes less frequently. She says this means more people in the terminal needing more space for boarding, checking in, hold room and baggage to prepare for an expected growth in tourism.

The $30M project will expand the terminal by 2000 square metres and is expected to be tender-ready early next year with construction starting in the spring.