Security screening will return to Red Deer Airport this month in order to accommodate scheduled mainline commercial airline carrier service, say officials.
“Red Deer has for the last five years been designated a secure airport under Transport Canada regulations. However, without scheduled service, in particular 705 carrier scheduled service, screening was not necessary,” Red Deer Airport CEO RJ Steenstra told the Gazette.
A “705 commercial aircraft carrier” is an airline that has a takeoff weight of more than 19,000 pounds and is authorized to carry 20 or more passengers. For about a year, the airport has been exempt from airline screening as it got mainline commercial service up and running, he said.
Four Canadian Air Transport Security Authority staff will regularly screen passengers and their belongings on all scheduled departing flights six days per week.
The security measure is an important step in the airport's progress and growth and provides benefits, including safety and convenience, he said.
“Security screening at airports is important for all of us. It protects passengers, travellers and it allows the airport to get fully into the airport value chain. So we can fly from Red Deer to any secure airport through the country and you will not have to exit the aircraft and re-screen or get screened and then enter the aircraft again,” he said.
Red Deer Airport now offers scheduled service to Kelowna, B.C., Abbotsford, B.C. and Fort McMurray via Northwest Airlines.
“It's really, really important and it's another fundamental step for the airport to move forward because every mainline carrier or large carrier in this country requires passenger screening,” he said of the return of airport screening.
Red Deer Airport, which is located in Red Deer County, records about 51,000 airport movements per year. That's enough to make it one of the busiest regional airports in Canada.
