Toronto Pearson International Airport

Overview:

Lester B. Pearson International Airport (IATA code: YYZ, ICAO code: CYYZ), more commonly known as Toronto Pearson International Airport or simply Toronto Pearson is an international airport located 22.5 km (14 miles) northwest of downtown Toronto. It is the second largest airport in the Americas in terms of international passenger traffic, and is by far the largest and busiest airport in Canada. YYZ ranks 30th in the world by total passenger traffic, flying 50.5 million in 2019 alone. The airport is home to two passenger terminals and five runways, and its facilities cover 4,613 acres (1.867). YYZ acts as the primary hub for Air Canada, Canada’s main airline, as well as a base of operations for numerous other airlines like Westjet, Sunwing Airlines, and Air Transat.

Quick Summary:

● Toronto Pearson (IATA Code: YYZ, ICAO Code: CYYZ) is an international airport located 22.5 km (14 miles) northwest of downtown Toronto.

● YYZ is the second largest airport in the Americas in terms of international passenger traffic, and is by far the largest and busiest airport in Canada.

● YYZ acts as the primary hub for Air Canada, Canada’s main airline, as well as a base of  for  other airlines like Westjet, Sunwing Airlines, and Air Transat.

Geography:

Located at 6301 Silver Dart Dr, Mississauga, Ontario, coordinates (43° 40′ 36″ N, 79° 37′ 50″W), YYZ is situated 22.5 km (14 miles) northwest of downtown Toronto. The airport is built on the border of the city of Mississauga and municipality of Etobicoke. Its facilities total over 4,613 acres (1,867 hectares) of land. The airport has an elevation 173 m (569 ft) above average mean sea level.

History:

Toronto Pearson, then known as Malton Airport, was first constructed in 1937. The Port Authority of Toronto purchased farmland just south of the municipality of Malton, where three runways were built, each roughly 3,000 ft (914 m) in length and 150 ft (46 m) in width. On August 29thm 1938, an DC-3 from American Airlines departing from Buffalo was the first to land at the airport.

During the second war, the Airport became a base of operations for the Royal Canadian Airforce, and was home to numerous flight training schools. These schools operated from 1940 to 1946.

The municipal government of Toronto decided to sell the airport to the federal government in 1958, and Malton Airport was promptly renamed the Toronto International Airport. In 1984, YYZ was officially renamed Lester B. Pearson International Airport, after the 14th prime minister and recipient of the 1957 nobel peace prize Lester B. Pearson, who was a native of Toronto.

As demand for aviation continued to rise in the mid 20th century, YYZ continued its development. In 1964, Aeroquay 1, the airport’s first modern terminal featuring a brand new circular design was opened to the public. Terminal 2 was constructed in 1972 to help deal with an increase in flyers, but was eventually demolished in 2008 to be replaced by an extended terminal 1. Terminal 3 was opened in 1993.

In 2004, the original Aeroquay 1 was officially closed, and replaced by a brand new terminal 1. Today, Toronto Pearson International Airport operates two public terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 3.

Facility and Operations:

YYZ currently utilises two public terminals, terminal 1 and terminal 3. These terminals were designed with a linear concept, allowing easy access between terminals for both passengers and airport workers.

Terminal 1:

Terminal 1 is encompesses over 3,724,000 sq ft (346,000 sq m), making it Canada's largest airport terminal and ranking it 12th in the world measured by floorspace. The terminal primarily serves Air Canada and other Star Alliance airlines, such as United Airlines, Air China, and Air India, with Emirates being the exception as the only non-alliance airline to utilise terminal 1.

Terminal has 58 gates that serve U.S and international flights, with two gates capable of serving Airbus A380s. It features eight lounges, as well as an Air Canada Cafe operated by the airline for its premium customers.

Terminal 1 also houses the world’s fastest moving walkway, known as the Thyssenkrupp Express Walkway.

Terminal 3:

Terminal 3 is over 1,916,000 sq ft (178,000 sq m), and was first opened in 1993. It is responsible for serving all Skyteam and Oneworld airlines for Pearson, such as Delta Airlines, Air France, and Cathay Pacific. It also acts as the Toronto hub for unaffiliated airline WestJet along with servercing all other unaffiliated airlines, such as Air Transat, Etihad Airways, and Pakistan International Airlines, minus Emirates.

Terminal 3 has 46 gates, directed connected to the nearby Sheraton Hotel through an elevated pedestrian walkway.

YYZ has five runways, three aligned east-west and two aligned north-south. The Runways are listed below by ILS designation

05/23 is 11,120 ft (3,390 m) long and 200 ft (61 m) wide, aligned East–West

06L/24R is 9,697 ft (2,956 m) long and 200 ft (61 m) wide, aligned East–West

06R/24L is 9,000 ft (2,700 m) long and 200 ft (61 m) wide, aligned East–West

15L/33R is 11,050 ft (3,370 m) long and 200 ft (61 m) wide, aligned North–South

15R/33L is 9,088 ft (2,770 m) long and 200 ft (61 m) wide, aligned North–South.

YYZ is also home to numerous cargo facilities, which handles nearly half of all international air cargo in Canada. Three main cargo facilities are present at the airport:

Cargo West Facility:

- Located between runways 15R/33L and 15L/33R

- Features three large buildings with 566,000 sq ft (52,600 sq m) of warehouse space

- Connected to the passenger area of the airport by a four-lane vehicle tunnel

Cargo East Facility:

- North of Terminal 3

- Features several buildings situated in a U-shape with 318,000 sq ft (29,500 sq m) of warehouse space

Cargo North Facility:

- Located on the north side of the airport near 05/23

- Serves as the Canadian hub for FedEx express

- Features two large buildings with 346,000 sq ft (32,100 sq m) of warehouse space