Toronto Pearson is providing an operational update on the measures being taken to support air travel in anticipation of more severe weather later today.
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) appreciates that this is an important time of year, and many people are planning to travel. All efforts are being made by airport staff to support travellers and our airline partners.
Airlines continue to adjust their schedules and travellers are encouraged to contact their airline before coming to the airport. The GTAA understands WestJet's decision to cancel all operations for Ottawa, Montreal, London, Kitchener and Hamilton, and both inbound and outbound flights to Toronto Pearson today. It is critical during the holidays that our partners continue to make every effort to address staffing provisions and crew allocations to deal with ongoing weather disruptions.
At the time of release, airport operations are running smoothly. Below are the steps the GTAA has taken to support travel today and through this holiday season:
- As is typical in any weather event, arrivals and departures are being proactively managed to match runway capacity. This is done well in advance and communicated to airlines so that they can plan their schedules accordingly and communicate with passengers. This morning's departures were set at 36 per hour, which ran smoothly.
- Toronto Pearson has one of the largest deicing facilities in the world. With 185 staff members and 46 deicing trucks, our 6-pad Central Deicing Facility (CDF) can deice up to 500 aircraft in a single day. The CDF is fully staffed and ready to meet demand, supplies of glycol are sufficient, with a large stockpile available should it be required.
- The airport's electrical supply is being run via the airport's cogeneration facility to enable operational continuity in the event of a power loss from the commercial grid.
- Airfield crews are proactively treating runway surfaces in anticipation of temperatures dropping, and extra snow removal crews are onsite and ready to act as soon as the snow falls. Pearson uses state-of-the-art snow removal equipment to keep the runways clear so aircraft can land and take-off safely during winter.
- In the terminals, a cold-weather contingency plan has been implemented, which will support passengers waiting inside the buildings for taxis, limousines and other ground transportation operators.
- Additionally, concessions will remain open to support delayed travellers, temporary phone banks have been set up to allow passengers to contact their carriers to rebook travel, and amenity kits are being distributed to passengers who overnight in the terminals.
- To address congestion on the airport curbs and roadways, the GTAA is promoting use of its Cell Phone Waiting Areas for people picking up travellers, providing free parking vouchers on its website, and will proactively hand out 1-hour free parking vouchers on the curb should there be heavy congestion.
For more information and up to date information on Toronto Pearson please visit our website.
For further information: GTAA Media Office | media.relations@gtaa.com | 416-776-3709