Air Canada has said that it doesn’t expect its operations or capacity at Toronto Pearson International Airport to be affected by repairs to one of its main runways. The works will see the temporary closure of Toronto Pearson’s 06L/24R runway, with repairs expected to conclude by late November. The disclosure was made during Air Canada’s Q1 2022 call and Q&A session.

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The works will last until at least the middle of November. Photo: Greater Toronto Airports Authority

How to repair a 60-year-old runway?

The concrete sub-structure of runway 06L/24R’s needs to be fully repaired after being worn down by harsh weather conditions, usage, and age. The runway, which runs in an East to West direction, was first built in the 1960s. The project will extend the life of the runway by 30 years as well as enhance safety. The project is one of the largest runway repair projects in the airport’s history and will be undertaken in three phases.

From April to June, the West end of the runway will undergo a full depth replacement and lighting upgrade of its runway end and holding bay. From late June until mid-September, the same work will be carried out on the middle part of the runway, with lighting upgrades to adjacent taxiways. The final phase on the East end of the runway will occur from mid-September, wrapping up before the end of November.

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The work will repair the runway and make it good for another 30 years. Photo: Greater Toronto Airports Authority

Some of the old runway will not be traveling very far; instead, it will be crushed up and used for the restored runway's new sub-base and base materials. The restored runway will be home to more than 1,800 upgraded energy-efficient LED lights which will help the runway reduce its carbon footprint. The airport says the work will create over 4,000 jobs and inject millions of dollars into Ontario’s economy, helping to spur a strong recovery for the region and the country.

However, not all of the impacts from the works will be positive. Communities near the airport, including those that typically have fewer aircraft overhead, will be exposed to more aircraft noise during the project. However, the airport insists it is important to remember that there are no permanent airspace changes associated with this project, and impacts are temporary and only for the project's duration.

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Some seriously heavy duty machinery has been brought in to assist with repair works. Photo: Greater Toronto Airports Authority

Air Canada’s reaction

Amos Kazzaz, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, said:

“We’ve been working very closely with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority for Pearson folks and NAV Canada with respect to still being able to maintain operational capability on that runway and capacity, so we do not see an impact at all.”

In its Q1 2022 report, Air Canada revealed that it doesn’t expect a full recovery from the pandemic until at least 2024. Air Canada’s finances were devastated by the impact of COVID-19, causing the Canadian Government to take a CA$500 million ($400 million) stake in the carrier, alongside issuing a loan of CA$5.4 billion ($4.25 billion).

While the airline predicts a continued recovery in 2022, passengers could see price rises after it warned that from 2022 its adjusted cost per available seat mile might increase by 15% compared to 2019.

What do you think of Toronto Pearson’s runway repair plans? Let us know in the comments below.