Thunder Bay International Airport

Thunder Bay International Airport
Thunder Bay Airport
IATA: YQTICAO: CYQT
WMO: 71749
Summary
Airport type Public
Owner Transport Canada[1]
Operator Thunder Bay International Airports Authority
Serves Thunder Bay, Ontario
Time zone EST (UTC−05:00)
  Summer (DST) EDT (UTC−04:00)
Elevation AMSL 654 ft / 199 m
Coordinates 48°22′19″N 089°19′18″W / 48.37194°N 89.32167°WCoordinates: 48°22′19″N 089°19′18″W / 48.37194°N 89.32167°W
Website tbairport.on.ca
Map
CYQT

Location in Ontario

Runways
Direction Length Surface
ft m
07/25 7,318 2,231 Asphalt
12/30 5,297 1,615 Asphalt
Statistics (2012)
Aircraft movements 108,130
Passengers 761,000
Sources: Canada Flight Supplement[2]
Environment Canada[3]
Movements from Statistics Canada[4]
Passengers from Thunder Bay Airport Authority Inc.[5]
Thunder Bay Airport ramp side

Thunder Bay Airport or Thunder Bay International Airport, (IATA: YQT, ICAO: CYQT), is an airport in the Canadian city of Thunder Bay, Ontario. With 108,130 aircraft movements in 2012, it was the 5th busiest airport in Ontario and the 16th busiest airport in Canada.[4] During the same year, more than 761,000 passengers went through the airport.[5]

The airport is classified as an airport of entry by NAV CANADA and is staffed by the Canada Border Services Agency. CBSA officers at this airport currently can handle aircraft such as the Boeing 737-600 series which seats 119 passengers.[2]

History

Originally named the Fort William Municipal Airport, construction began in 1938, partly as a means of relieving unemployment.[6]

During World War II, the Thunder Bay (then Fort William) airport was home to No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School, part of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The airport was also used as a base for test flights of fighter aircraft being built at the nearby Canadian Car and Foundry factory.

Before the two cities of Fort William and Port Arthur merged, it was called the Canadian Lakehead Airport.

The airport went under major renovations in 1994 with the construction of a new airport terminal building, including two jetways, a large food court, a gift shop and an arcade.

The airport was handed over from the government in 1997 to the Thunder Bay International Airports Authority, a non-profit organization. The airport handled over 600,000 passengers in 2006 for the first time since 2001.[7]

Airlines and destinations

Most destinations from Thunder Bay are in Northern Ontario or Toronto. There are seasonal flights to the Dominican Republic and Cuba.

Scheduled

Airlines Destinations
Air Canada Express Toronto–Pearson, Winnipeg
Air Transat Seasonal: Punta Cana
Bearskin Airlines Dryden, Fort Frances, Kenora, North Bay, Red Lake, Sault Ste. Marie, Sioux Lookout, Sudbury, Timmins, Winnipeg
Porter Airlines Toronto–Billy Bishop
Sunwing Airlines Seasonal: Varadero, Cancun
Superior Airways Charter: Red Lake
Wasaya Airways Sioux Lookout
WestJet Encore Toronto–Pearson, Winnipeg

Charter

Airlines Destinations
Air Bravo Charter
Canadian North Montréal-Trudeau
CanJet Charter
Kelowna Flightcraft Air Charter Winnipeg (Cargo) (ends March 31, 2015)
Thunder Airlines Charter
First Air Cargo (Begins April 1, 2015)

Tenants

Parking and transportation

Car can reach the airport via Ontario Highway 61 and connections with Harbour Expressway and Ontario Highway 11 into Thunder Bay's core.

The parking lot contains 100 short-term spaces, 300 long-term spaces, curbside taxi service and courtesy cars. Thunder Bay Transit bus route #3 Airport serves the airport terminal and the nearby Aviation Centre of Excellence.

Infrastructure

Thunder Bay Airport interior

The Thunder Bay International Airport has a 2 storey terminal building.

Thunder Bay's runways are mainly handling small or larger turboprop aircraft, but they are able to handle narrow-body jet aircraft like the Boeing 737.

The airport also has 2 FBO's one being MaintAir Aviation Services Ltd. for Shell Aviation and Thunder Bay Flight Refuelling for Esso Avitat.

See also

References

External links