QUÉBEC CITY, May 8, 2025 /CNW/ – Today, Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) looked back on a year that was marked by promising growth, a return to profitability, an expanded flight offering, and an enhanced passenger experience. The organization is ending 2024 with satisfaction and beginning 2025 with determination, especially as it transitions to a new strategic planning cycle.

At its annual general meeting under the theme HERE FOR ALL OF US, management showed that it is committed to its ecosystem and that its business conduct, governance, and actions are focused on its passengers, employees, business partners, and region.

Highlights of an encouraging report

• Increase in passenger numbers: 1,737,803 passengers, up 49,067 (2.9%) from last year; 97.14% recovery in traffic compared with 2019, the pre-pandemic reference year
• Return to profitability: Net income of $3.6 million and earnings before interest and taxes (EBITDA) of $34.6 million
• More routes and new destinations: Capacity and frequency increased for Toronto, Calgary, Chicago, Charlotte, Tulum, and Paris, among others
• Enhanced commercial offering: Spectrum announced and new concept unveiled for Nourcy Café Traiteur
• Parking spaces and shuttle service added during peak season
• Overall average passenger satisfaction rate: 9.1 out of 10
• Improvements to décollezdequebec.ca, a practical solution for finding flights
• 78 infrastructure projects and studies designed to improve safety, optimize operational efficiency, and enhance the passenger experience
• Consultations with over 1,000 citizens and 30 socio-economic development players as part of the strategic planning exercise for the 2025–2030 cycle
• Support for more than 40 organizations in the Greater Québec City area, including an annual employee-led fundraising campaign for the United Way
• 50% reduction in GHGs compared to 2016

“In 2024, we strengthened our presence as never before, and we are very proud of the trajectory we are now on,” commented Stéphane Poirier, President and CEO of Aéroport de Québec Inc. “We generated surpluses that will be reinvested in our development, which means we are finally starting to regain the momentum we had before the pandemic. The end of 2024 marks the closing of one cycle and the beginning of another, with all the possibilities that brings.”

“The years ahead are likely to remain unpredictable. We are ready to face this uncertainty with a clear and resolute vision, a dedicated team, a discerning Board of Directors, and an unwavering desire to align with our region and all of Québec. We will stay deeply anchored in our community, visible in our market, and responsive to the needs of our employees, passengers, partners, and stakeholders,” added André Boulanger, Chair of the Board of Directors.

For the current year and beyond, YQB has every intention of building on its foundations to meet the demands of a changing airline and airport industry.

The priorities are clear and our vision is well defined: namely, to ensure financial sustainability, enhance the YQB experience, strengthen awareness and appeal, implement our commitment to sustainable development, and focus on efficiency and agility.

“I am particularly excited about the 2025–2030 strategic plan, not only because it is the result of extensive collective reflection, but also because it aligns with our strengths, addresses our realities and imperatives, and reflects our shared ambitions. This plan reflects our commitment to remaining attentive to the passengers who choose us and to the community,” concluded Mr. Poirier.

About Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB)
YQB is managed by Aéroport de Québec Inc., a private corporation responsible for the airport’s management, operation, maintenance, and development since November 1, 2000. Around a dozen carriers offer flights from YQB to destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Europe, and daily flights to the main hubs in eastern North America.

QUÉBEC CITY, Feb. 26, 2025 /CNW/ – Following two rounds of expansion, a pandemic, and a focused effort on recovery and the growth of air services, Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) enters a new chapter. Moving forward, the organization is committed to further strengthening its position in an unstable and unpredictable environment, with the goal of continued growth and success. The plan is clear, and we are already on the right path to achieve our goals: namely, to ensure financial sustainability, enhance the YQB experience, strengthen awareness and appeal, implement our commitment to sustainable development and focus on efficiency and agility.

Our extensive strategic-planning project spanned several months and involved a wide range of stakeholders—including more than 30 key players in the region’s socio-economic development—to define the path desired by the community. At the end of this process, the organization established a roadmap with six key objectives to be achieved by 2030:

1. Welcome 2.4 million passengers
2. Achieve a net income of more than $5 million
3. Maintain an average passenger satisfaction rate of over 8/10
4. Maintain an employee net promoter score (eNPS) above 35
5. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% compared to 2016
6. Generate a total of $1.4 billion in economic spinoffs nationally

Understanding the landscape: our foundations and the industry realities

At the core of this approach, the organization aims to build on its solid foundations:

• YQB has regained profitability after a pandemic that disrupted its momentum.
• It has high-quality, large-scale infrastructure capable of supporting its growth.
• Its flight offering has never been so extensive, frequent and diverse.
• The region stands behind its airport with a shared vision.
• The traveller experience has been enhanced through improvements to food concessions, an optimized passenger journey, better public transit service and a revamped parking offering.
• The organization has become more agile by restructuring its operations to improve efficiency and better serve passengers.

At the same time, the organization must address several challenges affecting the airport ecosystem. First, YQB’s financial reality, which is characterized by limited flexibility, the ongoing need to invest in asset maintenance and the challenge of diversifying its revenue streams. YQB must also navigate the complexity of operating 24/7/365 within a regulated ecosystem. Furthermore, today’s passengers expect frequent flights, diverse destinations, unique experiences, comfort and high-quality services, all of which influence the organization’s decisions; however, market realities impose limits on these possibilities. Then there are structural disruptions that carriers face, and the growing importance of sustainability which requires airport organizations to rethink how they operate.

“The circumstances may seem daunting, but for our team it’s a source of motivation. While the challenges we face certainly require careful attention, we have all the assets needed to distinguish ourselves, adapt to change, and drive growth. All of our initiatives are focused on five strategic priorities and reflect the realities of our industry,” said the president and CEO of Aéroport de Québec Inc.

More specifically, and not exhaustively, YQB’s objectives are as follows.

Ensure financial sustainability

• Reduce reliance on airport improvement fees by optimizing and diversifying revenue streams.
• Increase non-aviation, derived from commercial concessions, parking operations, land and building leases, and advertising sales.
• Develop sustainable and profitable real estate projects at YQB.

Enhance the YQB experience

• Invest $200 million in infrastructure for regulatory work and projects to drive growth and improve the user experience, including the redesign of the domestic arrivals area, which is already operating at full capacity.
• Implement initiatives to maintain high passenger satisfaction and attract new travellers.
• Continuously define and adapt the value proposition for passengers and airlines.

Strengthen awareness and appeal

• Boost our presence and strengthen regional relationships beyond the Québec City CMA.
• Continue deploying advertising campaigns that highlight the advantages of departing from Québec City.
• Strengthen our network of local strategic allies.

Implement our commitment to sustainable development

• Implement a sustainable development governance framework to measure environmental, social and economic performance and achieve carbon neutrality for airport-authority-managed operations by 2040.

Focus on efficiency and agility

• Optimize our capacity to receive passengers.
• Adopt a data-driven culture.
• Strengthen team engagement and cohesion.

“The conclusion is clear: YQB is in sync with both the industry’s business realities and the ambitions of the region and its passengers. As it builds on its solid foundations and looks toward the new cycle ahead, YQB is definitely “in the right place,” said André Boulanger, Chair of the Board of Directors of YQB.

“We already have the team, the infrastructure, the relationships and the knowledge of our market and industry. We are now implementing the plan we need to chart our course, establish the foundations for our future and ensure we remain “in the right place,” said Stéphane Poirier.

The strategic plan updates the mission, vision and values statements to capture YQB’s unique identity as an international airport that operates on a human scale, generates pride and drives growth for our community, and is known for its user-friendly services and the range of options it offers.

About Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) 

YQB is managed by Aéroport de Québec Inc., a private corporation responsible for the airport’s management, operation, maintenance, and development since November 1, 2000. Around a dozen carriers offer flights from YQB to destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico and Europe, and daily flights to the main hubs in eastern North America. 

QUÉBEC CITY, Aug. 10, 2024 /CNW/ – Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB), Destination Québec cité, and the Port of Québec are very pleased that American Airlines, the world’s largest airline, has decided to add Charlotte to its selection of flights from Québec City. From now until November 2^nd, 2024, American Airlines will offer one direct flight a week to North Carolina’s Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) on Saturdays, adding to its existing flights from YQB to Philadelphia and Chicago.

As Charlotte is a major U.S. transportation hub, this new connection will help to develop new tourist markets, particularly from the Southeastern United States, California, Texas, and Florida, generating lasting economic benefits for Québec’s tourism industry.

The U.S. is our leading market internationally, and this new connection will make it easier for our neighbours to the south to discover our beautiful region during the fall. This period is the peak of the cruise season (18 scheduled cruise ship arrivals and departures), and therefore the new flight promises to be highly attractive to U.S. cruise passengers.

The announcement of this new American Airlines flight has been met with great enthusiasm from the local tourism industry:

QUOTES

“We’re delighted to add service between Charlotte and Québec City, complementing flights from Philadelphia and Chicago to the beautiful Capitale-Nationale launched earlier this year. Our new weekly flight grants our customers from the U.S. the opportunity to explore the rich culture Québec City has to offer. We look forward to working closely again with our colleagues at Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport as we deliver another successful route for American.” 
— José Freig, Vice President of International Operations, American Airlines

“This new route between Québec City and Charlotte shows our commitment to improving air service so we can further benefit travellers and contribute to the socioeconomic development of the greater Québec City region. This weekly flight will facilitate access to Québec City for U.S. tourists, and, since Charlotte is a major American Airlines hub, it will also increase connectivity to destinations including the Caribbean, Europe, and the entire United States. We want to thank American Airlines for their confidence in our market and our beautiful region.” 
— Stéphane Poirier, President and CEO of YQB

“The creation of a direct flight between Québec City and Charlotte represents a key opportunity for our region. By facilitating access to our destination for new U.S. markets, this connection increases our potential to attract and develop these markets. The improved access will also optimize transport for cruise passengers and reduce the carbon footprint involved in connecting flights. By strengthening Québec City’s position in the U.S. market (our largest international market), we’re generating lasting benefits for the local tourism industry.” 
— Robert Mercure, General Manager, Destination Québec cité

“We are extremely pleased that American Airlines has added Charlotte to its list of destinations from Québec City. This new direct connection opens up many opportunities for our region, especially in the fall. This flight will strengthen our position as a destination of choice for U.S. cruise passengers and help to stimulate the local economy. It’s excellent news for the Québec tourism industry.” 
— Mario Girard, CEO, Port of Québec

About Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) 
YQB is managed by Aéroport de Québec Inc., a private corporation responsible for the airport’s management, operation, maintenance, and development since November 1, 2000. Around a dozen carriers offer flights from YQB to destinations in North America, Central America, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Europe, and daily flights to the main hubs in eastern North America.