Aircraft movement statistics

In 2002, the 43 Canadian airports with NAV CANADA air traffic control towers reported 4.73 million aircraft movements, down 5.1% from 4.98 million in 2001. Total aircraft movements have shown a declining trend since the last peak in 1999 (5.32 million).

The decrease in movements in 2002 was reflected in both itinerant and local movements. Itinerant movements (flights from one airport to another) were down by 162,275 movements (-4.9%), the third consecutive annual decrease. Local movements (flights that remain in the vicinity of the airport) were down 94,248 movements (-5.6%) following a slight increase in 2001.

The ten airports handling the most itinerant movements in 2002 all recorded decreases compared with 2001. The declines ranged from 2.0% at Montréal/Dorval to 7.9% at Québec/Jean Lesage International.

The ten airports handling the most local movements recorded more variation in the year-over-year comparisons. Abbotsford recorded a 20.6% increase in local movements compared with 2001, but eight airports showed decreases in local movements ranging from 6.6% at Montréal/St-Hubert to 18.9% at Winnipeg/St. Andrews.

The 2002 issue of Aircraft movement statistics - annual (51F0010PIE, TP1496, free) is now available on Statistics Canada's website (http://www.statcan.gc.ca). From the Our products and services page, under Browse our Internet publications, choose Free, then Transport and warehousing. Previous issues are available on Transport Canada's website (http://www.tc.gc.ca/pol/en/Report/TP1496/tp1496.htm).

Preliminary statistics for the 56 Canadian airports with NAV CANADA flight service stations are also available for 2002.

Information on methods and data quality available in the Integrated Meta Data Base: survey number 2715.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Kathie Davidson (613-951-0141; fax: 613-951-0010; aviationstatistics@statcan.gc.ca), Transportation Division.