The holidays are always a busy time at Edmonton International Airport (YEG) but new technology should help simplify some of the process both now and in the months to come.
“On peak days throughout December, we’re looking at upwards of about 28,000 passengers, so this place will be will be crammed,” said Erin Isfeld, corporate communications manager with Edmonton International Airport.
YEG expects the busiest travel days to be Dec. 19, 24 and 27.
Passengers are encouraged to be prepared by booking parking ahead of time if they are leaving their vehicle at the airport, checking in early online, being aware of their flight status, and arriving extra early.
“Give yourself that time: two hours before domestic flights, three hours before an international flight,” Isfeld said.
The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) said on busy travel days around Christmas, the wait to get through security will likely be around 30 minutes. However, new baggage scanning technology will allow staff to process some passengers more efficiently.
The CT X-ray scanner provides a 3D image of luggage and its contents, allowing for passengers to keep liquids and large electronics in their bags instead of removing them.
“We used to get a flat image from the X-ray. We now get an image that we can rotate, we can slice into, so it gives us a better ability to do a better job but faster and more efficiency,” said Rod Gore with CATSA in Edmonton.
“Everything stays in the bag. We can see everything much more clearly on the on the new technology. It’s a huge improvement.”
Gore said the new technology will result in fewer bags being pulled aside for extra screening.
“Liquids and gels is a big reason that we search bags,” he said.
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The Calgary International Airport is also using the new machines this holiday season.
Right now, CATSA in Edmonton has one of the new scanners that’s been used for training but in the coming months, more will arrive and be installed.
“We’ll use it sporadically through the holiday season and in the spring they’re gonna replace them one line at a time, and by the time we get into late spring, we should have all the lines up and running and ready to go,” Gore said,.
There are six screening lines in domestic departures where the machines will go. Plans are the works to introduce the new scanners at U.S. departures as well.
The airport is reminding travellers of items that still can’t be brought in carry-on bags, such as liquids over 100 ml, snow globes, weighted stuffed animals, knives, scissors, big jars of spices or salt, and large containers of food, just to name a few.
There are also items that can’t be packed in checked bags and must go in carry-on.
“One of the one of the things we see a lot in checked bags is batteries and power banks. They’re restricted in checked baggage. Put them in your carry-on,” Gore said.
There will be a free gift-wrapping service on the other side of security, as CATSA doesn’t want carry-on gifts to be pre-wrapped in case screening officers needs to take a closer look.
It’s one of several things the airport does to make holiday travel easier.
“We know that this time of the year is very stressful and very difficult for people. Sometimes they’re travelling very long distances to get back to family and friends, or maybe even perhaps they’re taking that beautiful sun destination vacation over the holiday season, but we want to take a little bit of that stress out of it for them,” Isfeld said.
Edmonton’s airport said it’s doing its best to create a fun, relaxed holiday atmosphere with Christmas decorations, craft tables for kids, visits from Santa Claus, roving carollers, children’s choirs, therapy dogs and volunteer elves helping passengers unload their vehicles.
“We want to have that hospitality feel when everybody’s walking through the door,” said Isfeld.
“We really want people to be able to enjoy this time of the year.”
Isfeld said in 2025, the airport returned to passenger volumes not seen in half a decade.
“We’re expecting to be at about 8.1 million passengers for the year and that’s a really big milestone for us because it gets us back to that pre-pandemic number.”
Overall passenger volume is up 3.7 per cent, she said, while domestic travel in particular is up about 6.9 per cent.
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