Holiday passengers boost Thunder Bay airport traffic

The Christmas season makes for a busy time at Thunder Bay airport.

Incoming and outgoing passengers have been streaming through the terminal in recent days.

Kristen Van Vogt lives in Toronto, but is originally from Dryden. In an interview with the CBCin the airport terminal on Friday, she said she is excited about coming back to visit family and friends in several towns in the Northwest.

"I haven't been back in northern Ontario for a full year since last Christmas, so it's nice to be able to get back and see real trees, and real rocks and frozen lakes," she said.

Airport CEO Scott McFadden said the rush will continue right up until Sunday. McFadden advises outbound passengers with Christmas gifts to pack them in their checked baggage. Wrapped packages in carry-on baggage may be opened for inspection.

Thunder Bay airport will finish 2011 having set a new record for passenger traffic, with more than 700,000 people passing through the airport's gates.