Nanaimo Airport officials are recommending passengers arrive early for flights departing tonight, Feb. 14, due to a malfunctioning security screening device.
The airport put out an advisory today warning of delays. Flights departing for Vancouver at 6:20 and 7:45 p.m. tonight, Wednesday, Feb. 14, will also be affected, according to Mike Hooper, airport president and CEO.
It is already suggested that passengers arrive 90 minutes prior to their flight departing and Hooper suggests even coming as early as two hours before.
Please be advised due to technical difficulties security screening wait times are up to an hour. Steps are being taken to remedy this. Please plan on arriving extra early.
— Nanaimo Airport YCD (@FlyYCD) February 14, 2018
“The X-ray machine is owned by [Canadian Air Transport Security Authority] and it’s run by G4S, the security people, and it’s maintained by Nav Canada … the Nav Canada people responded right away, but they’re having a challenge,” said Hooper. “They’ve put two new motors into the X-ray machine and it still isn’t functioning, so we were hoping that they’d have it fixed tonight, but it looks like it’ll be tomorrow morning.”
Security staff will have to use other screening procedures in lieu of the machine, said Hooper, and once the machine is repaired, the airport will notify people via social media and its website.
Airport staff will be putting out free goodies for passengers.
For flight information, please go to www.nanaimoairport.com.
reporter@nanaimobulletin.com
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