It is estimated the Toronto Pearson International Airport will have 50 million passengers by 2020.

Having successfully completed its 10-year, $4.4 billion redevelopment plan this past January, President and CEO Lloyd McCoomb understands the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) is capable of managing major tasks in a quality manner. The redevelopment of the Toronto Pearson International Airport included projects in terminal and infield development, airside development and support for utilities and airport operations, but McCoomb believes the GTAA can make other improvements – ones that will help ensure the airport gets closer to its vision of being the North American airport of choice.

“The redevelopment was huge because we basically had to reinvent the airport on top of itself,” he says. “This wasn’t a greenfield site – we had to do all of the work in front of the eyes of our customers and also keep everyone safe and moving to where they needed to be. We rebuilt the entire airport, while also ensuring we had good customer service and finished everything on time and on budget. It is a state-of-the-art facility and we are proud of what we accomplished, but there are always improvements to be made.”

The new facility has put the airport “ahead of the curve” in terms of capacity, which now stands at 38 million, well above the 31 million passengers seen in 2006, McCoomb says. By 2020, it is estimated the airport will have 50 million passengers, which the facility should also be able to handle following further development as demand dictates, he notes. However, although GTAA has improved the airport’s space for customers, it has extensive plans to continue improving service.

“We see the airport as a continental and world hub, and service is a big part of that,” McCoomb says. “There are many things we are doing to continuously improve. We work closely and diligently with the Canadian and U.S. security agencies to streamline the entire security process, while keeping it effective. Smooth, hassle-free connections are critical in this business and we are always working to enhance the flow of passengers. We want our passengers to have as pleasant an experience as possible.”

Part of the GTAA’s work with the security agencies is working with the border services to provide them with all the information they need to expedite the flow of passengers. U.S. and Canadian customs agencies have introduced  Nexus, which is a card that will allow trusted frequent travelers to pass through customs using biometrics and pre-screening  avoiding the normal customs process. McCoomb believes this will be successful with the airport’s many frequent passengers.

Globally Competitive
To become the North American “airport of choice,” McCoomb believes there are still other improvements to be made. He wants the GTAA to have a closer relationship with its air-carrier partners, so the airport is working with them on various product differentiation programs.

For smaller carriers, GTAA is providing common-use lounges because they don’t have their own business lounges like the large carriers.

“Air carriers are looking to the airport to further define their brand, and we are happy to help them,” he says. GTAA also is working to add a low-cost carrier that serves the United States. McCoomb notes carriers such as Southwest, JetBlue and AirTran “would be very successful” in serving that niche.

To enhance other operations, the GTAA has done work to allow rail service, which would connect the airport with the city’s downtown. “This would be a wonderful adjunct to our current ground travel services,” McCoomb says.

All of these improvements must be made while ensuring efficiency and cost-effectiveness. This is of “paramount importance” to the business, McCoomb says, and GTAA works extensively to determine how to balance costs with its service goals.