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Update on slot allocations at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport

22/09/2011
Toronto (September 22, 2011) – Further to the slot allocation Bulletin dated April 9  2010, the Toronto Port Authority (TPA) announced that existing carriers Porter Airlines and Air Canada both submitted proposals to use the 16 remaining undesignated slots for their use during the 2012 allocation period (the 12 month period starting January 1, 2012). As per  the previous bulletin,  186 slots are currently allocated between them. A maximum of 202 slots were made available by the TPA.

“The TPA received requests from two parties interested in providing additional commercial airline service to visitors and residents via the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport ” said Geoff Wilson, President and CEO of the TPA. “An internationally recognized and independent party, ACL, was once again given the task to determine the best allocation of the available slots based on the criteria contained in the slot Allocation Rules previously agreed upon by all parties.”

ACL is a United Kingdom-based company specializing in airport slot allocation. TPA appointed ACL to independently manage the commercial carrier demand and allocate the available slots for the BBTCA to applicant carriers, implementing a methodology that is similar to those used at other North American airports.

After an extensive analysis that evaluated the key factors affecting airport operations, TPA determined in consultation with ACL and Jacobs Consulting, that 202 commercial slots could be made available for use at the popular airport during the 2012 allocation period.

Having determined historic rights to the 186 slots allocated for 2011, the 16 remaining slots per day were available for allocation between the applicant carriers, Porter Airlines and Air Canada.  ACL received competing requests from the two existing carriers, which in total exceeded the 202 slots available for allocation.

Based on the requirement to allocate slots in a fair manner, including taking into account the priorities for allocation contained in the Allocation Rules, a decision has been taken by ACL to allocate the 16 new slots to Porter Airlines.

 
The priorities for allocation of new slots by ACL were along the following lines:
  1. Priority will be given to carriers wishing to operate slots on a year-round basis.
  2. The ongoing TPA corporate objective to increase and diversify the number and choice of destinations to meet the demands of the BBTCA’s business and leisure travellers.
  3. ACL should try to ensure that the needs of the travelling public are met as far as possible.

About the Toronto Port Authority

The Toronto Port Authority was incorporated on June 8, 1999 as a government business enterprise under the Canada Marine Act as the successor to the Toronto Harbour Commissioners. It is a federal public authority providing transportation, distribution, storage and container services to businesses. The TPA owns and operates the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, Marine Terminals 51 and 52, and the Outer Harbour Marina. The TPA also provides regulatory controls and public works services to enhance the safety and efficiency of marine navigation and aviation in the port and harbour of Toronto.

Further information about the TPA is available at www.torontoport.com.

 
About Airport Coordination Limited
 
Airport Coordination Limited (ACL) was formed in 1992 as an independent slot coordinator based in the United Kingdom. Today ACL provides coordination services at 29 airports in the UK, Ireland, Canada , and the United Arab Emirates. ACL coordinates about 2.8 million flights carrying over 300 million passengers each year.
 
Further information about ACL is available at www.acl-uk.org.
 
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Media Contact: Suzanna Birchwood, (416) 863-2036/(416)317-6405 (mobile)