FILE PHOTO - Travellers queue at the Kelowna airport, Wednesday, July 28, 2021.

(HOWARD ALEXANDER / iNFOnews.ca)

The man at the helm of the Kelowna International Airport is expecting to see the busiest day post-pandemic on Monday.

Airport director Sam Samaddar says May 23, the Victoria Day holiday, is likely to be the most crowded day of the post-COVID era for a number of reasons.

“We’re definitely seeing traffic climb,” he said.

For anybody thinking about going on a road trip, the cost of gasoline has risen significantly this year. Whereas the recent introduction of ultra-low cost carriers in Canada have made air travel much more affordable.

Also, more airlines are now in competition along some routes, and “airfares have drop as a whole as a consequence of that,” he said.

READ MORE: Kelowna airport seeing faster recovery of domestic flights than international ones

While the high cost of gas and lower cost of airfare are contributing to a busier airport, Samaddar suspects there would still be a steady increase in airport traffic, as many travels are eager to explore again after being locked down for two years.

“We just came out of shoulder period. April and May tend to be quieter months, but we actually saw it escalate.”

Also, the Victoria Day long weekend is always extra busy for travellers across Canada.

Samaddar said the airport is expecting to see a record amount of travel this summer.

Now that one-way flights to Calgary can cost a little more than $40, Samaddar said many people who have never been on a plane, or haven’t flown in more than a generation, have become flyers.

Airfare that cheap is only possible if the passenger travels with just one backpack – it's an extra $75 to add one piece of luggage onto a $41 fare.

Samaddar reminds “ultra-low-cost carrier” customers to make sure they know how many bags they’re allowed to bring, and what items are prohibited, as green travellers have been slowing down the screening system.

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