N.W.T. gov't never asked for more security lines at Yellowknife airport: CATSA
The federal authority in charge of security screening at Yellowknife's airport says it's up to the Northwest Territories government to ask for additional security lines to cut down on wait times.
The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) told CBC that Yellowknife's airport has had only one line for security screening since 2013. It said that if the territorial government wants additional screening lines, it would have to further expand the screening area and present a "business case" for more resources or employees. That business case would then be reviewed by CATSA.
In an email to CBC Thursday, CATSA said that hasn't happened.
On Wednesday, Infrastructure Minister Wally Schumann was questioned in the Legislative Assembly about security wait times at the airport. He responded that it is out of the government's control because screening is CATSA's responsibility.
For months, residents and tourists in the territory's capital city have complained in public social media groups about what some call "ridiculous" wait times.
In 2016, the territorial government introduced a new airport improvement fee and tripled the fees paid by airlines that use the airport. The government said the $10 million in fees generated each year will be used to make the airport more attractive to travellers.
"Now after millions of dollars collected in user fees and hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on renovations to the security screening area, the key complaint of constituents is that security line wait times are unreasonably long," MLA for Yellowknife North, Cory Vanthuyne said in the legislature.
"Why? Because there's still only one security line at the airport."
Security run by Crown corporation
Schumann said the renovated security area now holds the new CATSA Plus program. According to CATSA's website, a highlight of the new program is the "parallel divest systems," which allow more than one passenger to put carry-on belongings in a bin at a time. The CATSA Plus system also provides a larger space at the end of the screening area for passengers to repack their belongings.
But adding an additional security line was never part of the renovation plan, CATSA says.
Schumann told MLAs Wednesday that after the renovation, wait times at security are down by 30 per cent. He said wait times are still long, in part, because more planes are landing and more tourists visiting.
"You know we're the victim of our own success again. Landings are up 15 per cent. Traffic by passengers is up by four per cent. We put in these new systems trying to accommodate everyone as best we can," Schumann said.
"We're so used to being able to go to the airport and jump on a plane 10 minutes before it goes, but the reality is, at the Yellowknife airport, you've got to start looking to go out there 90 minutes to 60 minutes prior to departing."
Schumann also said the territorial government has used money from the airport improvement fund to create new signs in different languages, including Japanese, to help tourists find their way at the airport.
