Bellingham airport could see big dip in passengers this year

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — This summer could see as large as a 35 percent dip in passengers at Bellingham International Airport due to lost flights and fewer Canadian passengers.

The Bellingham Herald reports that a study conducted for the city finds Bellingham is taking a hit since Frontier stopped its nonstop service to Denver, and Alaska Airlines shifted to seasonal service for nonstop flights to Las Vegas and Honolulu.

A weaker Canadian dollar is also expected to lower passenger numbers. More than 50 percent of people flying out of Bellingham are Canadian.

Despite low revenue predictions for the coming months, Bellingham is still in the black, with expenses coming in about $140,000 lower than expected for the first part of the year.