Airport prepares for busy holiday season and beyond

As people take to the air to travel for the holidays, the Regina Airport Authority has plans for how it will take off into the future.

Airport CEO James Bogusz said usually about 3,500 people visit the airport per day.

“During the Christmas season, we can easily see upwards of 10 extra per cent, even 15 (per cent) on a really peak day so it gets exceptionally busy here in the terminal,” Bogusz told the Greg Morgan Morning Show on Thursday.

Bogusz offered some advice for people travelling during the Christmas season and wanted to bring a gift with them on the flight.

“If you want to avoid disappointment, we recommend that if you’re going to do a wrapped gift you put it in your checked bag, not in your carry-on,” Bogusz said. “(That’s) just to avoid the disappointment of the screener having to unwrap the gift to see what it is.”

Once a traveller makes it through security, they will notice improvements to the air side of the airport. It includes upgrades to passenger amenities.

“We made a big investment in the terminal — new seats with power plugs (and) a child’s play area coming to completion for the toddlers to burn off some energy before they jump on a flight,” Bogusz said. “It’s really all about our customers and trying to make them happy and relaxed before they jump on a plane.”

Bogusz and the rest of his staff have also been working on getting back direct flights the airport has lost over the years, including to Denver.

Bogusz said things have taken positive steps this year, including the City of Regina offering the airport a tax exemption that it can apply directly to helping bring direct flights to the airport.

“We’re obviously targeting Denver as we believe it’s the most likely prospect for service,” Bogusz said. “I personally am working with a number of agencies to help bang that drum, to really convince the airline, ‘Let’s give the Queen City another look’ and convince them to fly here instead of an American domestic destination that they often do.”

City transit could also be made available at the airport, with that project set to begin in 2020.