Thunder Bay airport expanding security screening area

The Thunder Bay International Airport is expanding its security screening area, adding a third screening line in the coming months.

The airport announced the expansion earlier this month. The work is expected to be complete by June.

"We're looking at about doubling our footprint of the pre board security area," said TJ Ahvenniemi, the airport's director of facilities, environment, and sustainability.

"With that new space, we'll be able to add a third screening line," he said. "Really it's tackling our peak hour, where we have simultaneous flights going out daily where we see long lineups starting to really back up in the space."

In a media release, the Thunder Bay International Airports Authority (TBIAA) said it's working with the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) on the expansion.

"We value our ongoing collaboration with TBIAA as we work together to enhance security screening services for the travelling public," Rhoda Boyd, director of passenger experience for CATSA, said in a statement. "This project will increase screening capacity during peak travel periods, supporting a smoother flow through security for passengers travelling through Thunder Bay."

Construction is scheduled to begin this month.

"We've been working very closely with our our contractor Tom Jones and their team to come up with a phasing plan that really highlights reducing operational impacts throughout the entirety of the project," Ahvenniemi said. "There is going to be some disruption and some displacement of space as we progress, but we're going to do our best to communicate often and make sure that we're keeping everybody's needs in mind."