By Troy Gillard (Twitter: @Troy_Gillard)

Red Deer Airport eyeing big growth in 2018 and beyond

May 10, 2018 | 8:22 PM

Bringing in an ultra-low cost carrier is a top priority for Red Deer Airport in 2018.

CEO Graham Ingham said at the airport’s annual general meeting Thursday at the Holiday Inn in Gasoline Alley that he’s confident it’ll happen by 2020.

“When you attract air service, you start to attract other businesses, so from an economic perspective it would definitely be beneficial for the region,” he said.

Ingham has had talks with two airlines about bringing their services to Red Deer – FlyToo and Jetlines.

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“I’m pretty optimistic that we’ll get one, maybe two. Their whole business model is dependent on low-cost secondary airports like Red Deer’s,” he noted.

Land development is also something the airport hopes to capitalize on over the next couple of years. Red Deer County’s plan to build a road linking Township Road 374 to Highway 2A plays a big part in that.

“This is a really exciting project because it gives the communities a lot more than it gives the airport itself,” Ingham pointed out.

Ingham said the possibility of securing new carriers and land development at the same time is like “winning the lottery.”

Red Deer Airport traffic has increased to make it the fourth-largest airport in the province.

The airport is hosting its first ever “Props and Pistons” show and shine on May 27. More than 1000 planes, cars and motorcycles have registered for the free event which is collecting donations for the Red Deer Food Bank.