Accommodating jet service at Toronto's Billy Bishop Airport,
a goal of regional carrier Porter Airlines, would require a runway extension
and several other infrastructure enhancements, meaning such service, even if
approved, would take several years to accomplish, according to early findings
from a WSP Canada study commissioned by PortsToronto.
The study indicated that in order to permit jet service, the
airport would need to extend its runway 550 meters (1,804 feet) and install jet
blast deflectors on the runway's ends, among required infrastructure changes.
Expansion work could add 30 slots to the 202 available.
Porter Airlines is seeking approval from Toronto to amend regulations
to allow jet service at Billy Bishop, giving it the ability to add long-haul
flights from the airport.
Rival Air Canada, meanwhile, on Thursday voiced opposition to
that proposal, saying the proposed slot growth would "allow for immaterial
incremental slots for Air Canada and new entrants."
"We prefer to see a growing downtown
airport focused on short-haul passengers using modern turboprop aircraft, which
would be more consistent with the spirit and intent of the original tripartite
agreement at Billy Bishop," said Derek Vanstone, Air Canada vice president
of corporate strategy and government and industry affairs, in a statement. "[PortsToronto's]
focus on jets is not defensible, as Billy Bishop certainly can prosper and grow
as a turboprop airport."