Travelers departing from Montreal airport will see a $5 increase on their plane tickets next spring.
Airport improvement fees will increase from $35 to $40 per ticket at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport as of March 1, 2024. These fees are included in the price of the plane ticket.
Aéroports de Montréal (ADM) affirms that the revenues resulting from this increase will make it possible to finance the upgrade of infrastructure and facilities in a context where more and more passengers are passing through the airport whose code is YUL.
“The record attendance recorded at YUL this year will have highlighted the challenges for our organization. […] In other words, we are taking the necessary measures to properly prepare for the future of our international airport,” said ADM President and CEO, Yves Beauchamp, in a press release.
The airport was notably faced with significant congestion getting there. Last summer, there were reports of travelers taking a few hours to reach the terminal gates. We even saw images of people walking with their suitcases on the access ramp leading to Montreal-Trudeau, afraid of missing their flight.
The airport management also announced last month the establishment of two “alternative landing stages”, without parking, from which shuttles will depart “every five minutes” to the terminal.
The last increase in airport improvement fees at Dorval airport dates back to 2021, when ADM increased them from $30 to $35 per passenger.
Earlier this year, credit rating agency DBRS Morningstar explained that the COVID-19 pandemic had hit revenues and led to rising debt at airports across the country.
The agency’s analysis showed that while airlines received significant financial aid measures at the height of the pandemic, airport authorities received only “modest” support.
Toronto Pearson International Airport also increased its airport improvement fees by $5 last January to $35 for departing passengers.