ONT back to pre-pandemic performance

Ontario International Airport returned to pre-pandemic passenger volume in March, according to data released last week.

The airport accommodated 454,000 travelers last month, four percent more than it handled in March 2019, the Ontario International Airport Authority reported.

Domestic passengers totaled 439,531, while international travelers numbered almost 15,000, increases of 71 percent and 446 percent, respectively, compared with March of last year.

The total number passengers at Ontario International increased 75 percent last month. Domestic and international passenger volume combined was 3.97 percent higher in March compared with March 2019.

“The March passenger numbers are a tremendous achievement for our airport and airline partners, launching Ontario International’s pandemic recovery to an even higher level,” said Atif Elkadi, the authority’s chief executive officer, in the statement. “We can’t say for sure what the coming months will bring, but the March passenger count shows what full recovery looks like.”

Air cargo traffic remained strong in March, increasing by 22 percent compared with 2019, the authority reported.