The number of people travelling in and out of the Trail Regional Airport surpassed 20,000 last year, an increase of over 3,300 from 2024.
“Our numbers are going up year by year since COVID,” airport manager Enrico Moehrle told city council this week.
There were 20,285 passengers coming and going from Trail in 2025, up 3,306 from the previous year, a jump of over 19 per cent.
But 2026 is off to a slow start. Moehrle said of the 58 scheduled flights in January, 27 were cancelled, of which all but two were due to weather.
The cancellations resulted in 12 Pacific Coast Airlines shuttle bus runs to and from the Penticton airport, with a total of 270 passengers.
The total scheduled passenger count in January was 1,135, which was down by 145 from January 2025.
In other news, Moehrle said the airport plans to top some trees within Beaver Creek Provincial Park and adjacent land that are nearing or exceeding the maximum allowable heights for the airport’s approach paths.
While airport staff await approval from BC Parks and Teck, they are seeking quotes from arborists. They expect to complete the work by the end of March, before birds start migrating and building nests.
Moehrle said the airport also plans to remove dead trees along Highway 22A that are damaging the airport’s wildlife management fence. Because the trees are on the Ministry of Transportation’s land, airport staff are working with the ministry to secure permits.
