Calgary airport reports a record-breaking 2015

Despite economic doom and gloom seemingly lurking around every Calgary corner, the airport reported increases in both passengers and cargo in 2015.

"While those challenges continue, we are optimistic about economic recovery and are confident in the rolewe will continue to play in providing economic stability during these challenging times and supporting therecovery and renewed growth here in Alberta," said Calgary Airport Authority President and CEO Garth Atkinson in a press release.

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The airport said it handled a record 15.48 million passengers, an increase of 1.4 per cent over 2014. Cargo volumes increased by 4.65 per cent over last year, hitting a total of 135,695 tonnes.

December was a record-breaking month, with 1.3 million passengers coming and going through the international hub. That was 2.6 per cent higher than the same month in 2014.

In 2015, theCalgary airport opened a new 30,000square-foot "specialized"cargo facility,broke ground on a new 100,000 square-foot "airside" cargo facility and completed at 520,000 square-foot expansion of the cargo apron.

The airport was also supposed to open its new international terminal in 2015, but that massive projectwas delayed by a year and is now scheduled to open in the fall of this year.