‘We're seeing a huge demand’: Pre-pandemic levels of travel returning to Windsor International Airport

The YQG Windsor International Airport is welcoming more travellers as the busy holiday travel season begins.

Upwards of 1,000 passengers per day are expected to pass through the gates as multiple airlines fly out of Windsor. A sight not seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to airport officials.

“We're starting to see a lot of demand, a lot of pent up demand certainly for the holiday travel period,” said president and CEO Mark Galvin.

Galvin told CTV News the airport is seeing good bookings during the holiday period and into spring now that most travel restrictions have been rescinded and international flights have returned.

“It's very exciting for me to see people with smiles on their faces going where they want to go,” he said.

“We're seeing a huge demand and we're seeing a lot of people wanting to go away.”

Galvin said four different airlines from four different destinations on Monday were a good sign of things to come as more travellers fly out of the Windsor airport.

“I'd love to see it busy all day,” Galvin said. “But obviously it's going to come with what you have flying at the time. But we're certainly looking forward to this season and into the spring and into the summer. We had a great summer last year and we're looking to repeat that.”

Galvin said staff were applying what they learned during the pandemic to improve the customer travel experience from the parking lot to the flight, telling CTV News it’s still best to check on your flight’s status early before arrival. 

“I think we have learned some things of what to do, what not to do. How to make sure you move people. How to make sure you see where the demand is going. And then to prepare for that demand. And I think that's really what we're trying to do and to give the patron a pretty hassle free experience when they travel,” Galvin said.

Employee loading luggage at YQG Windsor International Airport in Windsor, Ont. on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)Travel agents suggest ‘the busy season’ has only just begun saying it’s best to book flights and other plans early as pent up pandemic travel demand soars.

“This is really just the start of it,” said Melanie Harding at Valente Travel on Ouellette Avenue. “Although with COVID, we really haven't transitioned into busy, we have been busy!” 

Harding said holiday flights out of Windsor are limited, with many travel seekers looking ahead to spring and summer months.

“Currently the holiday flights out of Windsor are sold out or are 95 per cent sold out. The demand is definitely there again,” Harding said.

“We are booking right into the summer already. We have people calling for September trips even. We have sold out heat departures out of Windsor, the nice sun destinations into spring right now.”

Harding added it’s imperative to pack some patience as the number of travellers continue to climb.

“The airlines want to get you there. The hotels want to welcome you. Their restaurants want to feed you, but we all need a little bit of patience,” she said. “We have a lot of new workers out there and if you walk into something with that patience, you won't be disappointed.”