With air travel demand soaring - and memories of last summer's debacle fresh - The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) has announced the "comprehensive measures" it is implementing to support a "seamless, predictable, and enjoyable passenger experience" during the peak summer travel season.
"Last summer was challenging for passengers, and we have responded with a full suite of process improvements and practices with our partners to deliver a more customer-centric and reliable experience," said GTAA CEO Deborah Flint.
"Our new approaches include more resources, transparency, and resiliency planning; as we are excited to welcome passengers for a robust summer travel in our improved airport environment."
In response to the challenges encountered last summer due to the sudden resurgence of air travel following pandemic restrictions, the airport authority says it has initiated a series of improvements, technological advancements, and staffing increases to enhance efficiency.
Innovations and processes that the GTAA says will help smooth the travel experience at Pearson Airport for Summer 2023 include:
More Self-Service Opportunities
Contactless check-in and boarding processes.
A new partnership with the CBSA to deploy biometric e-gates, expediting customs clearance;
New digital technology at check-in, gates and baggage areas to replace the current generation of self-service tech as it nears the end of its life.
YYZ Express: Expanded hours for pre-booking spaces in security lines and putting it into service at every security screening point.
Planes at Toronto Pearson International Airport. (redtea / iStock / Getty Images Plus)Better Baggage Handling
An upgraded baggage system featuring AI that anticipates overloading and detects potential breakdowns before they occur.
Pushing accountability with airlines and their ground handlers on proper training and staffing availability.
Creating a resource pool of employees and contracted staff who would be available to move bags by hand during irregular operations.
More Bodies
Bolstering staffing in critical areas such as busing, baggage handling, and terminal operations. Last week, the GTAA the announced the hiring of 130 team members. This effort complements the collaboration between Toronto Pearson and its partners to support their operations, including working alongside airlines to balance their activities and resources during peak travel periods.
Wait-Time Communications
Installing new sensors and pulling screening data to post wait times for all agency checkpoints in the terminal and the GTAA website. This will give our passengers better live information and a clear understanding of what to expect.
Slot Management
The GTAA says it will proactively manage the volume of flights coming into Toronto Pearson with partners on an hourly basis to ensure that the airport ecosystem is capable of receiving and processing these incoming passengers in a timely and efficient way.
Stronger Collaboration
Asking airlines and their service providers to verify staffing and operational plans for regular and irregular operations. This will reduce staffing-related Air Traffic Management Initiatives (A-TMIs), disruptions, delays, and missed connections, and help ensure that they can deliver their summer 2023 schedules.
Initiatives Already Paying Off
The GTAA says the implementation of many of these enhancements have already yielded tangible results, including faster check-in and boarding processes, reduced wait times, and smoother baggage handling.
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