More Canadians are choosing to fly within the country this spring, as airlines expand their domestic networks and travellers look for options closer to home. New data from Statistics Canada show domestic air travel rose 10 per cent in March compared to the same time last year. At the Ottawa International Airport, more than 289,000 passengers travelled domestically in March, the highest total for the month in five years. Martin Firestone, president of Travel Secure Inc., says a growing number of Canadians are opting to stay within the country. “You’ve got a segment of Canadians that basically are saying, I’m not going to the U.S. for a lot of reasons. So, they are staying domestic as a result of that,” Firestone said. Airlines are responding by adding more routes within Canada. Porter Airlines is expanding its domestic service out of Ottawa, launching new flights to Windsor and Sudbury this weekend. The increase in domestic travel comes at a time when flying is becoming more expensive, with rising fuel prices pushing up costs. Some airlines have introduced fuel surcharges tied to higher oil prices amid ongoing instability in the Middle East. Firestone says that, despite higher prices, flying within Canada can still be a more affordable option compared to travelling internationally. “Bottom line, they are staying within Canada because the prices or the surcharge is going to be relatively a lot less than it would be if they were travelling internationally,” he said. Firestone adds concerns about global fuel supply, particularly in regions dependent on oil from the Strait of Hormuz, are also influencing travel decisions due to concerns about returning flights being stranded. Even with higher prices, he says that likely won’t deter travellers heading into the busy summer travel season.
