In response to decreasing passenger traffic and associated revenues at YUL Montréal-Trudeau Airport in Canada, local airport authority, ADM Aéroports de Montréal, is increasing the airport improvement fees (AIF) charged to departing passengers. The last AIF increase at YUL was in April 2018 and followed an 8-year freeze on fees.
Used solely to fund infrastructure projects essential to maintaining safe operations at YUL, the AIF will increase from $30 to $35 effective 1 February 2021. The increase in AIF is expected to generate additional revenues of $20 million in 2021.
Philippe Rainville, President and CEO of ADM Aéroports de Montréal, explained that, “While a major budget rationalisation exercise has reduced our capital budget to the strict minimum for the coming years, significant amounts have had to and will continue to be made available annually to ensure that our airport site complies with current safety and security regulations and requirements.”
He added that ADM has a duty to ensure its facilities are upgraded as he stated, something the airport operator will never compromise on. “In the current context, we have no choice but to proceed with this $5 increase, which will partially offset the substantial cash shortfall that will be created by this crisis.”
Data available currently suggests a minimum 71% decrease in passenger traffic at YUL for the current year compared with 2019. For 2021, a decrease of at least 50% is forecast, based on 2019 figures.
