EDMONTON -- Edmonton International Airport counted fewer passengers in 2019, but says it was a year of innovation.
About 8.15 million fliers were served by the airport south of Alberta's capital city last year – an estimated 100,000 passengers less than it counted in the record-setting year before.
The airport called 2019 "a challenging year for the entire aviation industry with the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max airplanes, which reduced service across the sector."
However, EIA saw several new flights added, including seasonal service to St. John's, Newfoundland; London, Ont.; Orlando, Florida.
It also saw the opening of a new security hall, the Century Mile Racetrack and Casino, and the Fairfield by Marriott EIA – as well as the expansion of the Aurora cannabis facility.
"We have a unique strategic advantage that we have more land than any other airport in Canada. So we've been able to develop this airport city," said Traci Bednard, vice president of digital and corporate communications.
"Over the past few years we've had over a billion dollars in private investment here and passengers and tourists have benefitted from that."
EIA also considered the signing of an agreement to make EIA a hub for drone deliveries a highlight of 2019.
In the next five years, it wants to boost traffic to 10 million passengers per year.
