Busy travel day means passengers should prepare, Winnipeg Airports Authority says – Winnipeg

On a Friday heading into a long weekend, upwards of 12,000 passengers are expected to travel through Winnipeg’s international airport — potentially the airport’s busiest single day since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mitch Rosset of the Winnipeg Airports Authority said the airport is only seeing minor delays since post-pandemic travel picked up, but travellers need to be prepared nonetheless.

“It’s really a ripple effect of what’s happening across the country any time there’s a delay or cancellation anywhere in the aviation system,” he said.

“It’s important to stay in touch with your airline if you are travelling, just so you are aware of any changes to your itinerary.”

Rosset said security lineups are around a five-minute average — numbers comparable to what the airport was seeing pre-pandemic — but there are always ways passengers can help make things run even more efficiently.

If you have a flight, he said, be prepared and arrive early.

“Make sure you know what you can pack, what you could put into your carry-on, what you could put into your checked luggage, and also to make sure you weigh and measure your bags, so that way they meet your airline’s policies.

“It’s just going to make it that much smoother, that much faster, when you get to the airport.”

Rosset also suggests checking if you need a COVID-19 test depending on your destination, and to remember that masks remain mandatory when in the airport and while flying.

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Tips for travellers with Winnipeg’s Airport expecting busy long weekend