Spirited Holiday Travel at Toronto Pearson

TORONTO, Dec. 16 /CNW/ - It's that time of year again.  The time that passengers are finalizing their travel plans and airport employees are getting ready to greet them.  With most schools beginning their Christmas break at the end of this week, Toronto Pearson is preparing for another busy holiday travel weekend.  The airport is expecting to see 95,000 passengers on Friday, December 17 and 100,000 on Saturday, December 18.  On an average day, about 85,000 passengers travel through Toronto Pearson.

"Guests travelling through Toronto Pearson this holiday season are going to be treated to some new Christmas touches," said Lloyd McCoomb, President and CEO of the GTAA.  "We want to give our guests the best travel experience possible.  We are hoping that our holiday carollers, storytellers and happy holiday helpers will put a smile on passengers' faces as they travel through our airport."

To help guests enjoy a bit of the season at a time when the airport is very busy, between December 17 and 24, guests will be delighted by holiday carollers in Terminals 1 and 3 at various times and locations.  Mrs. Claus and some elves have stolen themselves away from the hustle and bustle of the North Pole and will be on hand to read Christmas stories to children waiting for their flights.  Scores of holiday helpers sporting striped scarves will be handing out candy canes to add an extra touch of the holiday spirit to our guests.

Special Christmas services are planned in the Terminal 1 Chapel for guests and airport staff who will be at the airport during the holidays.  These services are scheduled at various times over the Christmas weekend.  All are welcome to join in these services.

Weather can present some challenges for travel at this time of year.  Toronto Pearson is very proud of its winter operations successes and is intent on maintaining its strong on-time performance record this winter season.  The team of experts that oversee snow removal, aircraft deicing and overall winter operations is second to none and is committed to keeping Toronto Pearson open and running safely and efficiently all winter. 

Passengers are reminded again at this busy time of year to be aware of restrictions on liquids, gels and aerosols when packing their carry-on luggage.  These items must be packed in 100 ml containers and fit into one clear and resealable plastic bag.  A single 1L bag is permitted per passenger.  Passengers travelling with gifts in their carry on luggage are also reminded to leave gifts unwrapped as packages may be subject to inspection at security check points.

The GTAA is the non-share, not for profit authority that operates Toronto Pearson. All revenue generated by the GTAA is reinvested back into the airport. In 2009, 30.4 million passengers travelled through Toronto Pearson.

For further information:

GTAA Media Office [phone]