The Red Deer Airport is coming off a record year, and things are looking bright for their future, with the possibilities of them expanding in terms of land and air.

The mood was optimistic as shareholders, investors and supporters filled the room at the Holiday Inn Gasoline Alley Wednesday night for their annual general meeting to hear about the airports record 2017, which included a 10% increase in operation revenue, multiple charity events, and a major bump in their community outreach, thanks to their invigorated social media accounts.

Along with talks about offering services from a number of ultra-low cost airlines, Airport CEO Graham Ingham says another exciting venture is the possibility of them expanding real estate wise, to one day add some more services and businesses around the airport.

“There’s not a lot of prime airport real-estate in Canada. Either one in itself would be a great opportunity for the airport, but to have both air services as well as land development is kind of like winning the lottery.”

Ingham says they have already had two meetings this year about what services certain carriers could offer.

“We’ve had informal discussion, sit down discussions with both Fly Too as well as Jetlines, about what service they’re looking at providing for the Red Deer airport.”

They are just waiting for the County to finish connecting township road 375 with highway 2A, which they hope to complete next year or in 2020.

As far as ultra-low cost airlines go, Enerjet (Fly Too) and Canada Jetlines have been mentioned, but Ingham says nobody is confirmed yet, even though Red Deer is on Jetlines's 2019/2020 route map.

He hopes to have something in writing by next year.

Airport CEO Graham Ingham speaks at the Red Deer Airport Annual General Meeting at the Holiday inn, Gasoline Alley on Thursday, May 10th, 2018.