Aviation

QSA's Week in Aviation (#17, 2025)

Passenger traffic at major airports rises; airline passenger count declines year-over-year; new weekly aircraft movement data released; Senators honour aviation figures; March screening volumes fall short of pre-pandemic levels.

Good morning! This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly roundup of regulatory developments, legislative discussions, political announcements and other government-related news for the airline and airports industry, as well as pilots and other aviation-professionals. Every Monday, we break down the most important news in under five minutes.

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Start Date: 2025-04-27
End Date: 2025-05-03

Top Headlines

Main Stories

Screened Passenger Traffic at Major Airports Slightly Up Year-over-Year

Statistics Canada reported 4.6 million passengers passed through pre-board security screening at Canada's eight largest airports in March 2025. This figure marks a 1.5% increase compared to March 2024. However, passenger screening totals remain 1.7% below March 2019, prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The screening data, drawn from airports including Toronto Pearson and Vancouver International, provides an indicator for ongoing demand and operational requirements at major Canadian hubs.

Sources: Open Government Data Set: www.statcan.gc.ca

Major Airlines Report 3.1% Decline in Passenger Volume for February

According to Statistics Canada, major Canadian airlines carried 6.5 million passengers on scheduled and charter flights in February 2025. This represents a 3.1% decrease from the same month in 2024. The figures cover both domestic and international routes, providing a measure of air travel demand trends into the first quarter of the year.

Sources: Open Government Data Set: www.statcan.gc.ca

Weekly Aircraft Movement Data Available for April 12–18

Weekly data on aircraft itinerant movements at Canadian airports have been published for the period April 12 to 18, 2025. The release supports industry analysis of operational tempo and air navigation service utilization on a week-to-week basis.

Sources: Open Government Data Set: www.statcan.gc.ca

Important Updates

Secondary Stories

Senator Denise Batters Recognizes RCAF Snowbirds with Coronation Medals

Senator Denise Batters announced on April 28 that she presented King Charles III Coronation Medals to 11 members of the RCAF Snowbirds team based in Moose Jaw.

Sources: Social Media: x.com

Senator Mohammad Zaibak Congratulates GTAA Board Member

Senator Mohammad Zaibak noted on April 30 that Nafisah Chowdhury, a Greater Toronto Airports Authority board member, was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal.