Passenger numbers rebounded at the Comox Valley Airport in 2010, as almost 7,000 more people flew through the terminal than in the previous year.

The Comox Valley Airport (YQQ) announced Wednesday that it served almost 300,000 passengers in 2010.

With an increase of 6,687 passengers over last year 鈥� the equivalent of 40 Boeing 737 airplanes 鈥� YQQ is in an excellent position for steady but continued growth in 2011, according to a press release from the airport.

鈥淭he Comox Valley Airport offers one of the most comprehensive scheduled air service networks on Vancouver Island,鈥� said CEO Shirley de Silva.

YQQ has led Vancouver Island in passenger growth for the past five years, according to the release.

鈥淥ver the past five years, we鈥檝e been doing tremendously well, and our share of seat capacity 鈥� the seats that are available for passengers to travel 鈥� has doubled over the past 10 years, and our growth has been steady and strong for that same time period,鈥� said de Silva. 鈥淥ur numbers did drop slightly in 2009 like they did for most of the industry, but in 2010, they鈥檝e rebounded, and we鈥檝e had a good growth of approximately three per cent.鈥�

In 2010, 296,845 travellers moved through the terminal 鈥� an increase of 557 passengers per month over the previous year. This increase is on par with Transport Canada鈥檚 predicted 2.3-per-cent annual growth for the Canadian airport sector in 2010, confirmed de Silva.

YQQ鈥檚 busiest month in 2010 was August, with 33,588 passengers 鈥� an increase of 962 over the same month in 2009.

December鈥檚 holiday rush saw a total of 24,733 passengers, or an increase of 508 passengers for the same time period in the previous year.

In the coming years, the airport projects about a three-per-cent growth each year.

鈥淭he growth of approximately three per cent is in line with Transport Canada鈥檚 predictions for recovery, and it鈥檚 in line with other airports across the country,鈥� said de Silva. 鈥淚鈥檓 definitely very pleased with the growth we鈥檝e had so far. I think estimating approximately three per cent in the coming years is very realistic, it鈥檚 a steady growth pattern, and it falls in line with what we鈥檝e established as projected growth in our strategic plan.鈥�

A steady annual increase of three per cent could place YQQ鈥檚 annual passenger numbers as high as 344,125 by 2015.

鈥淥ur strategic plan lays out the direction for steady, sustainable growth in passenger numbers over the next four years,鈥� said de Silva. 鈥淒eveloping and expanding the airport鈥檚 scheduled air services network will help us to achieve that growth. We will continue to focus our energy on bringing more airlines, routes and passengers to YQQ that complement our current services.鈥�

The Comox Valley Airport鈥檚 strategic plan for 2011-2015 can be found at www.comoxairport.com by clicking 鈥渁bout us鈥� and then 鈥渞eports.鈥�

writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com