Calgary International Airport braces for busy summer travel season
The Calgary Airport Authority (CAA) and its partners are preparing for the busiest summer travel season since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the CAA, more than 13 million passengers are expected to travel through the YYC Calgary International Airport in 2022 – up from 6.3 million in 2021.
"The travel experience is different than it was in 2020 and we are doing everything we can to help guests prepare to take some of the turbulence out of the journey," Chris Miles, vice president of operations and infrastructure with the Calgary Airport Authority, said in a news release.
YYC began seeing a steady increase in travellers in April and May 2022. Last month, 1.3 million passengers went through the terminal, which is about 42,000 guests per day.
In July and August, about 50,000 are expected per day at YYC, according to the Calgary Airport Authority.
But Miles told reporters Thursday that YYC hasn’t seen the same long waits at customs or security as other airports.
"We’ve got flights from all over North America and Europe that connect through this airport, which means we are not immune to the effects of disruption at other airports. Other delays can pop up but we collectively try and navigate a better experience for our guests as they come through Calgary," he said.
"We are an interconnected system and we rely on each other to maintain an efficient, seamless guest experience."
PILOT PROGRAM
To help meet these demands and make travelling easier, YYC now offers a pilot program where guests can book a time to go through security screening, kids zones and quiet spaces where families can decompress and a new website page where people can access all the information they need in one place.
People can also turn to the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA), which regularly shares carry-on packing advice, information for families, seniors and people with special needs, along with wait times for security screening. CATSA has also opened an additional screening lane at Pre-Board Screening D and E at YYC that will help get passengers through the security process faster.
"The more prepared travellers are, the easier it is for us to move them through security as quickly as possible," CATSA spokesperson Sandra Alvarez said in a release.
Meanwhile, Calgary-based airline WestJet has hired more than 1,000 people across all operational areas, including its contact centre.
"This summer we are restoring our network in Alberta to pre-pandemic levels as we look to welcome back guests to travel," Morgan Bell, manager of media and public relations for WestJet, said in a release.
"With many guests returning to the skies for the first time in more than two years, it’s important they give themselves extra time, plan ahead, prepare for the travel experience, remember to perhaps take a little longer, and to have patience for other guests and staff who might be travelling or working for the first time in many months."
On Thursday, Diederik Pen, chief operating officer of WestJet, said the airline has recruited, trained and retrained more than 500 pilots and has recruited and called back more than 500 crew members.
At YYC alone, WestJet has hired more than 200 guest services agents to check in and board passengers.
Pen said while things are picking up, it has reduced its number of flights to help ease pressure at other airports.
“We’re about 85 per cent of 2019 flights and guests. So, we’ve actually taken down overall in Canada our network because we believe it’s responsible although clearly it hurts at the same time,” he said.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reminds all travellers, regardless of vaccination status, that they must submit their information on the ArriveCAN app or website up to 72 hours before entering Canada. This is mandatory to avoid potential quarantine periods and fines.
"Travellers returning to Canada should be ready to declare all goods purchased abroad and have their receipts readily available," said Chief Bob Talarico, the acting director of the Central Alberta District, Prairie Region for CBSA.
"Many people are travelling with pets, and pets need to be declared too in order to avoid delays."
The travel demands are also adding to long waits and delays for people who need a passport.
The federal government has a new approach to get passports processed in a timely manner.
Passport offices in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are now prioritizing those who need a passport within 48 hours.
Service Canada says people with longer-term travel plans will be served at other locations.
The federal government is also creating a new task force to look into long delays at airports and passport offices.
The group, made up of a committee of cabinet ministers, will identify areas for improvement and make recommendations.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Ontario man frustrated after $3,500 paving job leaves driveway in shambles
An Ontario man considering having his driveway paved received a quote from a company for $7,000, but then, another paver in the neighbourhood knocked on his door and offered half that rate.
Defence attacks Stormy Daniels' credibility as she returns to the stand in Trump's hush money trial
Stormy Daniels will return to the witness stand Thursday in Donald Trump's hush money trial as the defence tries to undermine the credibility of the porn actor's salacious testimony about their alleged sexual encounter and the money she was paid to keep quiet.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Florida deputies who fatally shot U.S. airman burst into wrong apartment, attorney says
Deputies responding to a disturbance call at a Florida apartment complex burst into the wrong unit and fatally shot a Black U.S. Air Force airman who was home alone when they saw he was armed with a gun, an attorney for the man's family said Wednesday.
Air Canada ranks near bottom on customer satisfaction: survey
Air Canada ranks below most other major North American airlines on customer satisfaction, with airfares a particular sore point, according to a new survey.