UMVA has learned that the team at Toronto Pearson airport is gearing up to be more prepared for the World Cup than the players and teams arriving in the coming days.
"We are ready," Toronto Pearson spokesman Sean Davidson said on Thursday morning at the Terminal 1 international arrivals gate. "It is a year of preparations that have been underway. We are expecting things to go very smoothly. The airport is going to be very busy, but we are ready for it."
Located in a non-descript room in Terminal 3, the Games Operation Centre is the heartbeat of the airport's World Cup preparations, serving as a rapid response team to monitor and respond to any situation that may arise during the tournament.
"This games operation control centre will be critical to adjust in real time and that is what we want at the airport," Davidson explained. The centre allows the airport to monitor cameras, respond to emergencies, and stay in contact with the City of Toronto and other partners.
With 185,000 people expected to pass through the airport daily during the tournament, the Games Operation Centre was added to deal with the unlimited possibilities that could occur. The team will be reacting to situations as they occur, responding quickly to ensure seamless travel for visitors.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that the airport has been preparing for the World Cup for over a year, running through all possible scenarios and situations to ensure a smooth experience for international passengers. "We really want to be able to react quickly," Davidson said.
The airport expects 17 million people to walk through its doors and gates between the tournament and Labour Day weekend, with potentially 11 teams playing at least one game in Toronto. International passengers from several countries, including Germany, Senegal, and Croatia, are expected to arrive.
"There has been about a year of preparations underway to be ready for this moment," Davidson said. "It is a big moment for the city and as the airport, we are the front door to the city. We want to make sure that operations are ready."
The first game of the World Cup in Toronto is June 12, and the airport is bracing for a busy period. With the eyes of the world on Toronto, the airport is determined to make a good impression.
The team's preparations have included practicing responses to dozens of scenarios, from shunting additional workers to areas of the airport in response to a sudden influx of people to responding to emergencies.
As the front door to the city, Toronto Pearson airport is committed to providing a seamless travel experience for visitors. The airport's preparations are aimed at ensuring that visitors have a positive experience, reflecting well on the city.
