A September 2020 presentation by Port of Seattle Commissioner Ryan Calkins outlines the severe financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Port's operations, including a 75% drop in airport passengers, a 17% decline in seaport cargo activity, and a complete 100% halt in cruise traffic compared to July 2019. The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) was projected to handle only around 20 million passengers in 2020, down sharply from a record 51.8 million in 2019. The presentation also provides historical context by comparing the 2020 downturn to previous industry shocks such as the 9/11 attacks and the Great Recession, both of which the airport ultimately recovered from.Open full document
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A presentation by Port of Seattle Commissioner Ryan Calkins dated September 23, 2020, addressing the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on all Port lines of business. The document highlights dramatic declines in airport passengers (75%), NW Seaport Alliance cargo (17%), and cruise operations (100%) compared to July 2019. It also provides historical context by charting SEA Airport annual passenger counts from 2000 to 2020, noting prior industry shocks such as 9/11 and the Great Recession.