YVR says it is ready for the holiday season

The Vancouver International Airport (YVR) says it is ready for the busy upcoming holiday travel season.

YVR is expected to welcome more than three million passengers between December 1 and January 12, a record-breaking number.

December 18, 22, and 29 are set to be the busiest travel days.

Last year, the airport counted 1.2 million passengers.

“We have got the most advanced snow operations equipment in the Lower Mainland. We’ve got more of it here at YVR than across the entire Lower Mainland,” said Andy Margolis, Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the airport.

“And our teams have been rehearsing since all August as they do every single year.”

During a behind-the-scenes media tour, the airport showed off the ways it has prepared for the weeks ahead, including new equipment and new X-ray equipment at some security screening checkpoints.

The new X-ray scanners allow passengers to leave electronics and liquids in their bags.

“All electronics can now stay in the bag. Any liquids under 100 millilitres can stay in the bag, because the X-ray unit can actually pick them up and detect them, providing a better image than the units currently in place,” explained Chris Thureau, Director of Terminal Operations & Facilitation.

“Less secondary searches, so that’s when you get called aside once you have gone through the walkthrough, and they have to search the bags, that’s going to happen much less because the image they are getting from the X-ray unit is going to be that much better,”

So far, only two out of the seven checkpoints have the new technology installed, with the airport looking to upgrade the rest by the end of 2026.

YVR invested $40 million after winter snowstorm of 2022

Additionally, the airport did upgrades to the baggage control system, promising to ensure faster and more reliable baggage delivery.

The airport says it hopes the new technology will mean more passengers have a smoother travel experience this holiday season.

Unlike December 2022, when a snowstorm prompted the cancellation of hundreds of flights, stranding thousands of passengers in the days leading up to Christmas.

“It was not the best four days that we have had here, but we have invested a considerable amount of money and time since the winter of 2022,” COO Margolis said.

“Over $40 million was invested immediately after that event. And also a continuous improvement approach and mindset that we review every single year.”

One improvement Margolis refers to is that selected early-morning flights will now get de-iced right at the gate under a new trial to cut taxi times.

The airport also introduced a complimentary parkade parking option for quick pick-ups.

YVR says the top domestic destination this holiday season is Toronto, followed by Calgary.

The top international destination is Hong Kong, followed by San Francisco.

With files from Raynaldo Suarez.