Airport Advisory Committee

Minutes

Meeting #:

Date:

Thursday, May 19, 2022

Time:

1:00 P.m. - 4:00 P.m.

Location:

Airport Administration Boardroom

Kelowna International Airport

1-5533 Airport Way

Kelowna, BC

Members Present

• Chair, Mayor Colin Basran, City of Kelowna
• Councillor Luke Stack, City of Kelowna
• Andre Blanleil, Kelowna City at Large
• Mayor Akbal Mund, City of Vernon
• Mayor James Baker, District of Lake Country
• Corie Griffiths, Economic Development Commission

Members Absent

• Chair Gail Given, Regional District of Central Okanagan

Staff Present

• Airport Director, Sam Samaddar, City of Kelowna
• Airport Development Manager, Phillip Elchitz, City of Kelowna
• Airport Finance & Corporate Services Manager, Shayne Dyrdal, City of Kelowna
• Legislative Coordinator (Confidential)

---

1.

Call to Order, Welcome and Introductions

The Chair called the meeting to order at 1:08 p.m.

 

2.

Confirmation of Minutes

Introduced new members.

• chad elliason/mayor baker
  Moved By Mayor Colin Basran

  ​THAT the Minutes of the October 28, 2021 Airport Advisory Committee meeting be adopted.

  
  
  
  Carried

3.

Reports

3.1

Operational Update

Senior Airport Operations Manager:

-Displayed a PowerPoint presentation providing an update of the operations of the airport.

-Reviewed monthly passenger count January through April 2022 to 2021. Expecting to be down 15% compared to pre Covid levels.

-Close to 8000 passengers per day currently.

-Back to 2016 levels but still a ways to go to reach 2 million passengers per year.

-Security screening is back to full operation.

-Ambassador programs restarted May 16th.

-Food and Beverage is a struggle. Ground side White Spot is still closed. A food truck has been brought in.

-Ground side Tim Hortons is open with limited hours.

-Airside White Spot is open with limited seating as it is difficult finding staff.

-Airside Subway is open and able to function with what is currently available.

-Health Protocols - masks are mandatory beyond screening and on aircraft.

-Vaccine mandate for travelling public and airport employees.

-Ongoing reduction of Prime Contractor Services with reduced number of maintenance contractor staff hours.

-Onsite Antigen and PCR testing is available allowing a four hour turn around in testing providing a high level of confidence.

-ACI-NA Health Accreditation continues to be maintained.

-Spoke to the 2040 OCP engagement and protecting YLW as an economic generator.

-Working with the regional district to maintain same level of input on surrounding land use for flight paths.

-Spoke to having reached Level 1 Airport Carbon Accreditation. Level 2 will take place in the Fall with Airports Council International.

-Airport Director touched on the work around YLW being accredited and working towards being carbon neutral by 2030 and helping other provincial airports achieve this goal.

- Advised there is a new parking contractor - Indigo. Been in operation for a few weeks

- Discussed Frictionless Travel including RFID baggage tagging, virtual queuing, self boarding - facial recognition, safety analytics and verifiable credentials stored in passenger's digital wallet. 

- Airport Director reviewed the events planned from April through October for YLW's 75 anniversary this year.

- Mayor Basran encouraged the Committee to all of the planned events and congratulated airport staff on their efforts towards carbon neutrality

Responded to questions from the Committee.

Discussion ensued regarding air travel volume and how long it will take to recover to pre Covid levels.

Discussion regarding airport partner services and the need to improve employee attraction recruitment and retention. 

Screening services - CATSU employee levels were reviewed.

 

3.2

Development Update

Senior Airport Development Manager:

-Displayed a PowerPoint presentation providing an update on project developments.

-Reviewed the expansion of ATB

-Played a virtual tour of the expansion of the air terminal building.

-Reviewed airport biosecurity infrastructure and how the flow of baggage intake changes.

-Reviewed the enabling works for the ATB expansion including the Fortis electrical feed, grease interceptor for food services, valet booth/parking, taxis/bus holding area, car rentals and garbage enclosures.

-Provided an update on greenhouse gas emissions infrastructure including roof top units, boilers and hot water tanks.

-Reviewed runway end safety area as new federal regulations require the provision of a safety area at each end of the runway.

-Reviewed Ops Stand 5 concrete panel installation.

-Reviewed airfield lighting and the costing exercise taking place to determine what it will take to get to the next higher level.

-Apron 3 design due to asphalt deterioration was reviewed.

-Referenced the master Commercial Development plan and how every piece is interconnected.

-Reviewed the YLW Child Care facility campus wide at YLW receiving a $33 million dollar provincial grant that will provide 86 spaces.

-Hotel and parkade - a proponent has been decided with a 90 day due diligence period in progress.

- Reviewed commercial air investments including commercial space with CD12 zoning.

- Spoke to the commercial interest in East land developments and the push to be permit ready.

Responded to questions from the Committee.

City Manager:

-Spoke to the transportation network and the finalizing of the Gateway Study and recent meetings with the Ministry on approving the road network in the airport area. 

-Spoke to the east side lands not currently being serviced and the opportunity for a partnership to achieve servicing.

Staff:

Spoke to renewable natural gas being explored.

Spoke to the private public partnership for the hotel which will let the market suggest the direction we are going.

-Provided and update on Air Service Development.

-Reviewed Covid passenger recovery scenarios.

-Reviewed seat capacity comparisons with other airports.

-Spoke to LynxAir operations starting on April 15th.

-Spoke to Swoop coming back into the market.

-Reviewed government grant funding including the Airport Relief FUnd of $3.1 million

Responded to questions from the Committee.

-The meeting adjourned at 2:56 p.m.

-The meeting reconvened at 3:09 p.m. p.m.

 

3.3

Financial Update

Senior Airport Finance & Corporate Services Manager:

-Displayed a PowerPoint presentation providing a financial update of the airport.

-Reviewed 2021 Statement of Operations and exit of deficit position in 2020.

-Spoke to Covid grants received from the federal and provincial governments.

-Spoke to the annual surplus and the efforts made by staff during the pandemic to reduce costs.

-Reviewed Statement of Financial Position. Highlights included the increase in financial assets driven by increase in accounts receivable and the receipt of RATI grant.

- Reviewed Statement of Cash Flows and the positive cash flow from operations and the repayment of debt.

-$400,000 contributed to the replacement of parking equipment.

-Reviewed the debt repayment schedule.

-Reviewed aeronautical revenue per landed air carrier seat. In comparison YLW is on the lower end of comparable airports.

-Airport improvement fee per passenger was reviewed. In the AIF category in Tier 1 and Tier 2 airports YLW is in the median average range. Plans are to keep the current AIF consistent.

Responded to questions from the Committee.

Confimed YLW is paying off debt as its due. City Manager addvised ther is a possibility of paying debt off early due to interest as per one of the parkafes

3.4

Recommendations

• Andre / Akbal

  THAT the Airport Advisory Committee receive for information, the report from Kelowna International Airport, presented May 19, 2022.

  
  
  
  Carried

4.

Questions & Wrap Up

Mayor Basran congratulated airport staff on a job well done.

5.

Termination of Meeting

The Chair declared the meeting terminated at 3:25 p.m.