B.C. Ferries, YVR issue travel tips ahead of the Easter long weekend
CBC News | Posted: April 5, 2023 2:00 PM | Last Updated: April 5, 2023
More than 400,000 passengers are expected to travel through the ferry system and B.C.'s biggest airport
B.C. Ferries and Vancouver International Airport (YVR) have issued a series of travel tips ahead of the Easter long weekend, expected to be one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
Easter weekend traditionally sees a lot of post-spring-break travel, with Good Friday on April 7 and Easter Monday on April 10.
The province's ferry authority, and its biggest airport, say they are preparing by adding more staff and informing passengers of the busiest times.
The preparation comes after a series of delays and travel chaos for many travellers, with recent ferry cancellations and holidays filled with reports of airport disruption still top of mind.
YVR says it is expecting more than 481,000 passengers to fly in and out of the airport by April 10.
"Heading into the Easter long weekend here in British Columbia, we are expecting to be rather busy out at YVR, expecting about 60,000 to 63,000 passengers daily," said Alyssa Smith, the communications manager for the airport authority.
Smith says the busiest days are likely to be Thursday and Friday. The airport is expected to see the typical number of daily passengers during its busiest travel periods.
The spokesperson added that Toronto and Calgary are the most popular Canadian destinations for travellers out of YVR, with Los Angeles, San Francisco and Las Vegas the most popular U.S. destinations.
Ferries to shore up staff
Upwards of 400,000 passengers, and 160,000 vehicles, are expected to use the ferry system in B.C. this long weekend, according to the corporation.
B.C. Ferries is adding more than 180 sailings to its busiest routes in anticipation of the rush, says spokesperson Deborah Marshall.
Those routes are the ferry from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, and the routes from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo and Langdale.
"We do expect to be quite busy this weekend … with travellers opening up summer cottages and whatnot, visiting family, friends, and having some Easter egg hunts," Marshall said.
Marshall says B.C. Ferries is "closely monitoring" its staffing situation, after a shortage of staff was blamed for ferry cancellations through much of 2022.
"We have some of our chief officers who are currently on educational leave. They are making themselves available to come back for the weekend if we do need them," she said.
"We've also had some employees who have accepted voluntary overtime to help us out over the weekend."
Tips for travellers
Marshall says travellers should book ahead on the busiest routes, especially during popular times, as well as arrive early for their sailing.
"If bookings are sold out, the best option to avoid sailing waits is to travel during less busy times. These are typically mid-week days and early morning or late evening sailings," reads an advisory on the B.C. Ferries site.
The ferry authority also advises travellers not to bring cars if possible, as vehicle deck space fills fast, and use public transit to get to terminals.
Smith advised air travellers to have a parking plan in place before they pack their bags to get to YVR.
International travellers are being told to arrive three hours before their flight departs, and domestic travellers two hours ahead of their departure.
"There are some really helpful and convenient apps and things that you can do with your smartphone to help streamline your journey through YVR," Smith said.
"If you are travelling across Canada or through the U.S., be sure to use our YVR Express product and book your time in security screening."
Smith added that U.S.-bound travellers can also use Mobile Passport Control, and incoming passengers can still use ArriveCAN to fill out customs forms.