GTAA Takes Steps To Flatten The Peak

With March Break fast approaching, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) – which operates Toronto Pearson International Airport – said it will be taking a number of steps to flatten peak hour schedules and avoid the kinds of problems that have been experienced recently during busy times.

In a statement, the GTAA said that it “continually works in close collaboration with airline partners and other entities across the airport ecosystem with the shared objective of better serving our valued passengers.”

The GTAA’s statement continued: “In preparation for March Break and summer 2023, the GTAA engaged with its airline partners as early as the third quarter of 2022 to collaboratively flatten out daily peaks for a more reliable and predictable air travel experience.”

And the statement continued: “As opposed to limiting the total number of flights that Toronto Pearson can accommodate over a given period, this work has been predominantly focused on limiting flight activity during certain peak hours, thereby spreading demand out over the course of each day.”

Air Canada said in a statement that it was first advised of the GTAA’s plans in August 2022, and so it designed its 2023 winter schedule with these limitations taken into account and anticipates no significant changes to its schedule for the March Break travel period.

The carrier noted that subsequently it received information about GTAA’s plans for summer 2023 and similarly designed this coming summer’s schedule to meet those parameters.

Air Canada stated: “It is Air Canada’s policy to work with its industry partners to meet the requirements of airports and other third parties to drive operational improvements and support the smooth running of Canada’s air transport system. This includes, as in this case, adapting its schedule as required to ensure operational stability, and is a normal process.”

WestJet also offered comment: “We continue to work alongside the GTAA and third-party agencies to ensure that our guests experience a smooth and seamless travel experience across the aviation ecosystem during peak travel times this spring and summer.”

The carrier said that it “created its summer schedule in compliance with the outlined capacity restraints and as a result has not had to cancel any further flights, however the GTAA’s limitations have created hurdles and required adjustments when planning our transborder and international flying.”

Westjet continued: “These hurdles include, adjusting our scheduled flight times to occur outside of peak travel periods to align with the GTAA’s peak hour restrictions. The right path forward for improved outcomes should focus on shared accountability, greater transparency and a more resilient system overall.”