It was another tough year for the St. John’s airport due to the pandemic. The St. John’s International Airport Authority held its AGM last night.

The airport was significantly impacted by the pandemic once again this year with increased restrictions on air service, leading to a drop in revenue compared to pre-pandemic levels. The authority is reporting that 2021 saw revenue of only 52 per cent of what they were pre-pandemic, sitting at only $25.8 million compared with the usual $50 million.

Revenue was in the range of $19.5 million in 2020. However, because of government support, they were able to maintain financial stability. Without the support, the airport would’ve seen a net loss of $9.9 million. They predict a loss of $4.4 million for 2022.

The Chair of the St. John’s Airport Authority’s Board of Directors, Tom Williams, is optimistic that they will not be operating at a loss for much longer.

He says their financial picture has improved and they hope they’ve gotten through the worst. They are seeing increased traffic coming back, so they hope to be out of a deficit position in two to three years.