Pandemic puts pressure on our region’s largest airport HALIFAX STANFIELD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT H alifax Stanfield is one of the most critical by Leah Batstone
pieces of transportation infrastructure in Atlantic Canada, and a key economic gen- erator that is and will be essential to our region’s recovery. All of Canada’s airports, including Halifax Stanfield, have played an important role in the nation’s response to the pandemic from the beginning. In 2020, Covid-19 damped what should have been an amazing year and celebration for the airport as it was a double anniversary year for Halifax Stanfield International Airport. In addition to the 60th anniversary of the opening of the airport, the airport also celebrated 20 years of “new man- agement” under the Halifax International Airport Authority (HIAA).
Spotlight on Business spoke with Joyce Carter, President and CEO and Paul Baxter, Senior Vice Presi- dent Operations & Chief Operating Officer of Halifax International Airport Authority on how they are preparing to rebuild air connections for the community at Atlantic Canada’s largest airport and connect to the world. On September 10, 2020, Halifax Stanfield International Airport (Halifax Stanfield) marked its 60th anniversary, but the occasion was not honoured like it would have been in previous years. After all, in September, the COVID-19 pandemic had been underway for six months, and with no end in sight, there was little cause for celebration. Instead, the airport was facing the stark reality that its 60th year was shaping up to be one of the worst in aviation history. The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected airports across Canada and around the world, and Halifax Stanfield is no exception. The airport, which had just wrapped up another successful year of strong passenger and cargo activity in 2019, first felt the effects of the pandemic when the virus was causing significant disruption in Asia, where there’s a big appetite for Nova Scotia seafood. Cargo flights from the airport dropped suddenly, from an average of seven to eight weekly flights to Asia, to just one. “The health and safety of our passengers, employees and community has always been our top priority,” said Joyce Carter, President and CEO of Halifax International Airport Authority (HIAA). “As soon as we saw the effects of COVID-19 could extend to our part of the world, we activated our pandemic plan and began working with our partners on next steps.”
“The health and safety of our passengers, employees and community has always been our top priority,”
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JANUARY 2021 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • JANUARY 2021
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