Toronto (September 1, 2015) – PortsToronto, owner and operator of Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, today announced the launch of Billy™, a new mobile app geared at making the traveller journey to and through the airport even easier.
Designed with the traveller experience in mind and launched on the heels of the opening of the 853-foot pedestrian tunnel, the Billy™ app consolidates useful information and services for travellers and offers such features as a flight-tracking tool that provides real-time flight updates; weather and traffic conditions for both departure and arrival cities; airport information, including directions to ground transportation, on-site services and airport amenities; and an in-app travel magazine that includes curated content and City Insider guides, which feature recommendations, travel suggestions and insightful articles. The content in the magazine can be downloaded for reading while inflight when Internet connections are no longer available. Billy™ is also equipped with alerts and in-app messaging that keeps travellers up to date with events that may affect their journey.
“Billy™ will provide the opportunity to bring a new level of innovation to the airport that will have a direct and positive influence on the traveller experience,” said Geoffrey Wilson, CEO, PortsToronto. “Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport has been embraced by travellers because it offers a convenient, efficient and friendly approach to travel. The opening of the tunnel in July has changed the way that travellers are accessing the airport and now the app will add value and drive engagement by offering relevant information, tools and services that make it even easier for travellers to get to their destination.”
Coming this fall, users of Billy™ will also be able to access exclusive VIP WiFi while at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport which provides faster connections and additional benefits and promotions for users.
About the Tunnel
The new 853-foot pedestrian tunnel runs across the Western Channel of Lake Ontario, is constructed within the bedrock 100-feet beneath the surface of the lake, and represents the first land-link between Toronto’s mainland and the island on which Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is built. Constructed at a cost of $82.5 million, the tunnel was funded through a public-private partnership agreement between PortsToronto, Forum Equity Partners and lead contractor PCL. No taxpayer dollars were used to construct the tunnel as the cost of construction and maintenance will be paid by airport users via a portion of the existing Airport Improvement Fee paid by departing passengers. The complete journey through the tunnel takes less than six minutes and dramatically improves passenger flow and efficiency.
About PortsToronto (http://www.portstoronto.com/)
For more than 100 years PortsToronto has worked with its partners at the federal, provincial and municipal levels to enhance the economic growth of the City of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. PortsToronto owns and operates Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, which welcomes more than two million passengers each year; the Outer Harbour Marina, one of Canada's largest freshwater marinas; and, Terminals 51 and 52, which provide transportation, distribution, storage and container services to businesses at the Port of Toronto. PortsToronto is committed to fostering strong, healthy and sustainable communities and has invested more than $6.7 million since 2009 in charitable initiatives and environmental programs that benefit communities along Toronto's waterfront and beyond. PortsToronto operates in accordance with the Canada Marine Act and is guided by a nine-member board with representation from all three levels of government.
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Media Contact:
Erin Mikaluk
Senior Manager, Communications & Media Relations
PortsToronto
Tel: (416) 863-2065; Cell: (647) 298-0544