The Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) said it is expecting interest in air travel to be “high” during the holidays this year at Toronto’s Lester B. Pearson International Airport.
In an email to Global News, Tori Gass, a spokesperson for the GTAA, said the holiday travel period is “traditionally one of the busiest times of the year at Pearson.”
“While we do not have passenger traffic forecasts available, we expect interest in air travel to be high during the holidays this year,” the email read.
Gass said the GTAA has worked “very closely” with airline and government partners to “improve the travel experience,” adding that it has seen “significant improvement since the summer.”
In a press release issued in November, Toronto Pearson said it was continuing to “see improvements across several key performance metrics.”
The airport said for the week of Oct. 10 to 17, 89 per cent of passengers cleared security in under 15 minutes, marking a seven per cent increase over the average shared in an update in August.
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The airport also said the week of Oct. 17 to 23, 63 per cent of flights were on time, a significant increase from the 44 per cent that were on time in the last update.
“Moreover, just one per cent of flights were cancelled during the same time in October,” the release read.
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Gass said the GTAA is continuing to work with its partners to “make sure we’re doing everything we can to support their operations, working with the airlines ahead of the traditionally busy holiday travel period to ensure that they balance their activity with their resources.”
Tips for smooth holiday travel
The GTAA also shared some tips for travellers headed to the airport this holiday season.
Gass said passengers should arrive at the airport three hours ahead of an international flight, and two hours ahead of a domestic flight.
According to Gass, there are a number of tools and resources for travellers, including YYX Express and Mobile Passport Control, to make things easier for air passengers.
The airport has also launched a live wait times dashboard and a peak travel times dashboard to help travellers better prepare for their trip.
Gass said the Canada Border Services Agency is continuing to offer advance declaration, and said passengers can “brush up on what to do to make the security screening experience smoother” by reading up on travel tips from CATSA.
“There are specific tips for families, seniors, passengers with special needs and more,” the email read.
Gass said travellers should leave their gifts unwrapped in their carry-on luggage, and anyone travelling internationally should make sure they have all required paperwork in order.
Those driving to the airport should reserve a parking spot online, Gass said.
“Travellers should also be mindful that this is the time of year when winter weather can impact travel,” the email said. “Passengers are advised to check the weather forecast ahead of their flight and be prepared in case their flight is affected.”
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