As the Fredericton International Airport continues its push for a multi-million dollar expansion, crews have begun a much smaller-scale project aimed at alleviating one of the facilities biggest problems — security wait times.
READ MORE: Fredericton Airport CEO says expansion needed, plan ready to go if funding approved
Peak hours at the undersized airport often force passengers to wait for long amounts of time just to pass through security. The addition of a second security line aims to combat some of that issue, however officials aren’t calling it the perfect fix.
“Sometimes we’ve seen lines that go all the way to the outside, so this is to provide a better consumer service,” said Fredericton Airport President and CEO Johanne Gallant. “It’s kind of a short term solution for now.”
The plans for a major airport renovation have been public knowledge for some time.
Officials say they have been prepared for construction since the end of 2015, but are still lobbying for the $30 million in funding they require.
READ MORE: WestJet announces Fredericton expansion, mayor hopeful traffic will boost expansion plan
In the meantime they plan to institute this temporary fix — but say the decision wasn’t an easy one.
“We’re going to take space from the old room which is the secure side, space we don’t really have to give at this point,” explained Gallant. “But we felt this is important to the consumer to be able to flow more efficiently through the line.”
Construction on the second security line has already begun and will only take place during off-peak hours in order to lessen the negative impact to customers.
It’s expected to be completed by February 2017.
- Posters promoting ‘Steal From Loblaws Day’ are circulating. How did we get here?
- Canadian food banks are on the brink: ‘This is not a sustainable situation’
- Video shows Ontario police sharing Trudeau’s location with protester, investigation launched
- Solar eclipse eye damage: More than 160 cases reported in Ontario, Quebec
Comments