Calgary airport sees record number of passengers, retail revenue and cargo landings in 2024
Airport Improvement Fees, which are tacked onto passengers' ticket prices, brought in $216 million in revenue in 2024. Dinsdale said YYC hasn't raised this tax in recent years, which he argued has 'squeezed' the airport's ability to generate more revenue.
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'But that's very much on purpose because we want to keep flying as affordable as possible,' he said.
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On the expenses side, Dinsdale said the airport paid the city $21.3 million in property tax in 2024 and also paid $53 million in federal taxes and payments.
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The airport authority experienced a $30.5-million net accounting deficit in 2024. But on its cash flow, revenues minus expenses came to $230 million last year and Dinsdale said the authority maintains a cash balance of roughly $200 million to help pay for major projects.
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Of those projects, Dinsdale's report cited the $200-million overhaul of its west runway, which began last April and is expected to last two years. Another major project is the airport's $50-million shift toward centralized security screening.
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The airport intends to close three of its pre-boarding security lines in its domestic terminal and replace them with a larger, centralized lane. New screening technology will allow security staff to move passengers through the lane more quickly, as they'll be able to leave their electronics and liquids in their carry-on bags.
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Toronto Sun
12 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
What to know about credit card travel insurance as Air Canada strike looms
The timing of the booking matters to if disruption-related costs are covered Published Aug 13, 2025 • 3 minute read Air Canada flight attendants at YYC in Calgary picket working conditions on Monday, August 11, 2025. After carefully planning a summer vacation, the last thing on your mind should be finding alternate transportation. But some travellers could be left scrambling as the clock ticks down to a possible work stoppage at Air Canada. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The airline says it will gradually suspend its flights starting Thursday after the union representing the airline's 10,000 flight attendants and the airline itself issued 72-hour strike and lockout notices, respectively. They are set to take effect around 1 a.m. ET on Saturday. It can be challenging for customers who are stuck in the crossfire, dealing with delays and cancellations. But travellers may be in luck if they booked their tickets with a credit card that has built-in travel insurance — with one caveat. 'You have to make sure that when you're booking it, it isn't past the date where many of (the credit card companies) would view it as a known event,' said Will McAleer, executive director of the Travel Health Insurance Association. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. That means as long as the tickets were booked before a potential labour dispute became apparent, the credit card travel insurance would cover it under their trip cancellation policy, McAleer explained. If the ticket was booked via credit card after the strike became foreseeable, the disruption-related costs wouldn't be covered, he added. But it's important to read the fine print of your credit card's travel insurance policy, said Natasha Macmillan, senior business director of everyday banking at Macmillan said consumers need to double-check if labour dispute-related cancellations or delays are covered. Often, the travel policy would specify exclusions such as delays caused by government actions, a pandemic or labour disruption. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. She said labour dispute coverage can also vary depending on the card type and card provider. For example, some high-end credit cards may cover disruptions from labour strikes even when the tickets were booked after it became a foreseeable event. Macmillan said travellers should also understand their coverage limits and payout rules. 'There tend to be very specific requirements,' she said. For example, some credit card travel insurance may cover up to $5,000 for a trip cancellation, while other cards may have a lower limit. 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Air Canada has said customers affected by flight cancellations will be eligible for a full refund. It has also made arrangements with other carriers to provide alternative options, but warns it could take time to secure capacity given other airlines are already full due to the summer travel peak. Experts say credit card insurance policies come down to understanding the coverage and doing your homework ahead of time. 'We all know there's a reasonable chance this could happen,' he said. 'If I was travelling on those days and likely going to be impacted over that time, I would make that call.' McAleer said it's important to double-check with the credit card administrator to see if the policy covers labour strikes. 'I'd want to call my credit card issuer and see what my protection was likely going to do,' he said. 'Prepare yourself for any surprise.' Columnists Editorial Cartoons Crime Relationships Sunshine Girls
Toronto Sun
17 hours ago
- Toronto Sun
Air Canada starts cancelling flights ahead of potential work stoppage
Published Aug 13, 2025 • Last updated 2 minutes ago • 1 minute read Air Canada flight attendants at YYC in Calgary picket working conditions on Monday, August 11, 2025. Photo by Darren Makowichuk / Postmedia MONTREAL — Air Canada says it will begin a gradual suspension of flights to allow an orderly shutdown as it faces a potential work stoppage by its flight attendants on Saturday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The airline says the first flights will be cancelled Thursday, with more on Friday and a complete cessation of flying by Air Canada and Air Canada Rouge by the weekend. Air Canada Express flights operated by Jazz and PAL Airlines will continue to operate as normal. Air Canada says customers whose flights are cancelled will be notified and they will be eligible for a full refund. The company also says it has made arrangements with other Canadian and foreign carriers to provide customers alternative travel options to the extent possible. The union representing around 10,000 Air Canada flight attendants issued 72-hour strike notice on Wednesday. In response, the airline issued a lockout notice. On Tuesday, Air Canada said it had reached an impasse with the union as the two sides remained far apart in contract talks. The union has said its main sticking points revolve around what it calls flight attendants' 'poverty wages' and unpaid labour when planes aren't in the air. Sunshine Girls Sunshine Girls Toronto Blue Jays Opinion Toronto & GTA
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
Air Canada flight attendants picket outside YYC ahead of possible strike
Air Canada flight attendants picketed at four major airports, including YYC, after over 99 per cent of union members voted in favour of striking. Air Canada flight attendants picketed outside Calgary International Airport after more than 99 per cent of union members voted in favour of striking if negotiations for fair pay don't produce a deal by the end of the week. 'An entry-level flight attendant at Air Canada makes $1,952 a month. They have to live in Calgary, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver,' said Brittany Thomas, vice-president of CUPE Local 4095, the union that oversees the workers. Some of the roughly 400 Air Canada flight attendants based out of Calgary walked out Monday morning, carrying signs of protest as their counterparts in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto did the same. It was an hour-long demonstration they called 'a day of action,' meant to raise awareness about their pay. 'These levels of wages are absolutely unacceptable, especially coming out of a 10-year contract and especially considering how much Air Canada has profited,' said Daylen Mitansky, also with CUPE 4095 and a service director with Air Canada. Along with higher wages, they want to be paid for all of their work. Right now, they're only compensated for the time the plane is in the air and often do hours of unpaid work each day. 'You could be on duty for 12 to 13 hours, and your credit could be just under seven hours—six and a half,' said Thomas. John Gradek, a professor in aviation management with McGill University, said the pay is supposed to offset those unrecognized hours, but the contract signed 11 years ago lags far behind inflation. 'The cost of living, as we all know, has gone off the deep end, and that's why I'm basically saying 30 [to] 35 per cent in a wage increase is not unheard of for this group,' he said. Air Canada flight attendants picketed outside Calgary International Airport after more than 99 per cent of union members voted in favour of striking if negotiations for fair pay don't produce a deal by the end of the week. Air Canada flight attendants picketed outside Calgary International Airport after more than 99 per cent of union members voted in favour of striking if negotiations for fair pay don't produce a deal by the end of the week. The old ways are also changing, with Delta Airlines in the United States being the first to start paying wages pre- and post-flight. 'Flight attendants now have a precedent that's been set,' said Gradek. 'Air Canada is a canary in a coal mine in this one; they're the first guys out, and we'll see how CUPE manages the Air Canada negotiators over the next few days.' Contract talks with the airline started at the beginning of the year, and workers have now voted almost unanimously to strike if there isn't a deal soon. An Air Canada statement says it is 'determined to reach a fair and equitable collective agreement that recognizes the contributions of its flight attendants and supports the competitiveness and long-term growth of the company.' Air Canada flight attendants picketed outside Calgary International Airport after more than 99 per cent of union members voted in favour of striking if negotiations for fair pay don't produce a deal by the end of the week. Air Canada flight attendants picketed outside Calgary International Airport after more than 99 per cent of union members voted in favour of striking if negotiations for fair pay don't produce a deal by the end of the week. While bargaining talks continue, travellers at YYC are taking it in stride. 'Nobody likes to be held up, especially at an airport, but if it's in their right to do so, then it's OK for them to do it,' said Gary Loo. 'They've probably got just cause. I'm sure it's working conditions. I'm sure it's too many hours, not enough pay,' said Janine Thompson. 'All for them to have more money and everything. They're all pleasant, and I enjoy flying with them,' said Janette Davis. A strike could happen as early as this weekend. There would have to be at least 72 hours' notice, and experts say if you are impacted, don't try to change your flight before it is cancelled, or you won't qualify for full compensation. If a strike impacts your flight, the airline must find you an alternate solution. You get to decide whether or not you like their suggestion, and if you don't, you can get a full refund. With files from The Canadian Press
