Toronto Pearson experiencing busiest travel season, record-setting traffic on Fridays

Canada's largest airport to welcome over 9.6 million passengers throughout summer months

TORONTO, July 26, 2016 /CNW/ - With the summer travel season in full swing, Toronto Pearson International Airport is gearing up for its busiest season yet: on average, the airport will welcome 120,000 passengers per day throughout July and August, representing an additional 10,000 passengers per day over the same time period in 2015. Nearly 150,000 passengers are anticipated to travel through the airport on the busiest days.

With Fridays typically being the busiest day of the week during the summer months, Toronto Pearson projects that it will see its highest volume of passengers on the following days:

• July 29 - 147,100
• August 5 - 147,700
• August 12 - 147,800
• August 19 - 147,900

"Summer is by far our busiest season of the year at Toronto Pearson, with passengers heading out on summer vacations or flying into the city to enjoy all Toronto has to offer," said Hillary Marshall, Vice President, Stakeholder Relations and Communications. "As the number of people traveling by air continues to grow in North America, we understand how important it is to work with our government partners to ensure we have the resources we need to allow our passengers to flow through the terminals in an efficient manner that is comparable with other jurisdictions around the world. Air travel is an important economic catalyst in terms of facilitating trade and tourism. We need government to make the necessary investments to support its growth."

In order to accommodate the increased traffic, Toronto Pearson is working closely with airlines, service providers and government agency partners to coordinate operations to ensure they run as smoothly as possible. A number of measures have been introduced to increase the airport's efficiency, including streamlining security and customs processing for passengers travelling to the U.S. and adding automated baggage drop kiosks.

To help plan and prepare for this busy time, Toronto Pearson recommends the following tips for passengers, in order to make their trip through the airport as pleasant and smooth as possible:

• Remember to check in online from home or on your mobile device, to save time
• Arrive at least two hours before a domestic flight, and three hours before an international flight
• Reserve parking in advance to guarantee a spot and to take advantage of promotional offers
• Confirm you have the necessary travel documents well in advance, and have them in hand when moving through check in, security screening and customs processes
• Check your airline's baggage policies in advance to make sure you meet the criteria. You can find a full list of airlines operating at Toronto Pearson here.
• Pack smart and "dress for success" to help get through security smoothly. CATSA, the agency responsible for security screening at Toronto Pearson and all Canadian airports, has comprehensive information and tips on their website: catsa.gc.ca/whatcanIbring
• Travelling with kids? You may want to pack a few snacks for the trip to the airport but if you're looking for something more substantial, you can search for family / kid-friendly restaurants on Toronto Pearson's website.
• The airport is constantly expanding its food and retail offerings, so if you need something specific – everything from gluten-free offerings to a forgotten toiletry item – you can find out where to get it online.
• With 50,000 sq ft of new restaurants and shops, including a completely redesigned Duty Free location, the new Terminal 3 Domestic/International departures concourse offers summer travellers room to relax, eat and explore

For passengers looking to learn more about what to expect from their summer travel experience at the airport, many online tools and resources are available at torontopearson.com, including guides for arriving, departing and connecting passengers.

For information on airport operations, travellers are encouraged to follow @torontopearson on Twitter. 

About the Greater Toronto Airports Authority
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) is the operator of Toronto Pearson International Airport. With 41 million passengers in 2015, Toronto Pearson is Canada's largest airport, and North America's second-largest international passenger airport, as measured by the total number of annual international passengers. Toronto Pearson is a hub for the movement of people and goods across the country and the continent, and also around the globe.

The focus of the GTAA continues to be on growing Toronto Pearson's status as an international gateway: enhancing the customer experience, safety, security, the success of our airline partners and the regional economy.

SOURCE Greater Toronto Airports Authority

GTAA Media Office [phone]