The Greater Toronto Airports Authority is rebranding Toronto Pearson International (YYZ), and a new logo and website were revealed Tuesday as the first steps in a longer-term rollout of new shops, services and travel amenities.
“We all believe there is a romance and magic of air travel if you get it right,” says Pamela Griffith-Jones, chief marketing and commercial officer for the GTAA.
Improvements include entertainment in the terminals, posted wait times for security and baggage, free Wi-Fi, 12 charging stations for USB devices and hand-helds throughout both terminals, and another 110 seats in waiting areas retrofitted with outlets, among other things. Travelers are now referred to as “guests.”
The GTAA says it is part of its mission to make YYZ the pre-eminent hub for connecting flights to Europe and Asia.
“The heart of our strategy is to be North America’s international hub,” Griffith-Jones says. “There really isn’t an airport in North America that holds that position in the same way as Amsterdam and Singapore.”
Surveys show travelers wanted more electronics, so a new store is slated to open in July. In the fall, new signage in the parking lots will let visitors know which levels have free space, and the new website will tell them how far they have to walk to the terminal from differently priced parking lots.
In addition, 10 guest service representatives will be added to the 40 who already provide visitor information. Staffed guest information centers will be located in the arrivals area of Terminal 1, and later in the summer in Terminal 3.
There will also be more kiosks in Terminal 1, some in restricted areas, so workers can get their coffee without clogging travelers’ lines.
“We’ve got to raise the standard of our food and retail,” said Griffith-Jones, citing the need for more diversity, healthier options and fine dining.
