Billy Bishop Airport announces launch of Safe Travels Program

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) recently announced the launch of its Safe Travels Program, a comprehensive initiative developed in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic that includes operational measures and safety protocols that have been implemented to ensure a safe and healthy environment for passengers, staff and partners at Billy Bishop Airport.

Billy Bishop Airport has responded to the emergence of COVID-19 with a comprehensive health and safety program that is aligned with expert guidance and new industry best practices. Under the guidance of provincial and federal agencies such as Transport Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada, Billy Bishop Airport has worked closely with its partners to implement a number of enhancements, procedures and new infrastructure to provide a safe and healthy environment for passengers, staff and partners.

Porter Airlines and Air Canada temporarily suspended commercial airline service from Billy Bishop Airport in March 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. The Safe Travels Program has now been launched and will be in place when the airlines resume operations later this fall.

“The extraordinary impact of this crisis has required an equally extraordinary response on the part of the aviation industry to ensure that passengers feel confident travelling again. The Safe Travels Program encapsulates our commitment to delivering a safe experience for our passengers as well as those who work in the airport,” said Gene Cabral, executive vice-president, PortsToronto and Billy Bishop Airport. “Billy Bishop Airport is unique in many ways: its island location, its proximity to Toronto’s downtown core, its unmatched, scenic approach and award-winning passenger experience. It is also unique in that this crisis and the resulting temporary suspension of commercial airline service at Billy Bishop Airport has afforded our team the time to step back, observe and get this right. We look forward to welcoming our passengers back to an enhanced version of the Billy Bishop Airport experience they already know and love.”

While Billy Bishop Airport will continue to incorporate new procedures and innovations to ensure the airport can offer a safe and healthy travel environment, the measures currently in place include:

• Requiring that face covering/masks be worn by all airport travellers and staff at the airport;
• Requesting that only travellers with boarding passes and airport staff enter YTZ, with exceptions made for those requiring special assistance;
• Designated ambassadors at key locations throughout the airport to facilitate passenger flow, communicate occupancy limits, and answer questions;
• Occupancy limits implemented in close-proximity spaces such as elevators;
• Implementing clear physical distancing and directional signage throughout the traveller journey to provide information and guidance;
• Installation of Plexiglas and traffic-flow protocols at face-to-face interaction points;
• Touchless processing of passenger belongings and documentation to the greatest degree possible;
• All passenger touch points including counters and screening machines sanitized often;
• Enhanced cleaning procedures across all high-touch areas and in public spaces, including foggers and electrostatic sprayers equipped with an all-natural, environmentally safe product that eliminates 99.99 per cent of viruses; and,
• Providing additional hand sanitization stations throughout the airport.

The Safe Travels Program will complement programs in place with resident airlines Porter Airlines and Air Canada and is inclusive of all airport partners including Nieuport Aviation (terminal owners/operators); Stolport (parking) as well as government agencies including CATSA (screening and security) and CBSA (border protection).