Busiest travel day at ferries, airport ahead of Christmas
Posted December 23, 2016 7:57 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TSAWWASSEN (NEWS 1130) – Those of you heading to Vancouver Island for the holidays should brace yourselves for what could be a chaotic day.
Reservations at the major terminals are pretty much sold out. Bookings at Tsawwassen were all snapped up yesterday. So, if you’re looking to just walk on as a foot passenger, you better give yourself a lot of time and expect delays. “The December 26th, 27th and 28th are expected to be quite busy as well. If customers haven’t booked a reservation for that yet, they might to consider doing that,” explains Deb Marshall with BC Ferries.
She’s also reminding people to be mindful of others during this busy stretch on BC Ferries and to not leave your bag or luggage on seats.
BC Ferries is also asking people to be patient and to be prepared because there is a chance you may not get on the sailing you want. “Tickets stop being sold for foot passengers at the major terminals 10 minutes in advance of the scheduled sailing, but I would advise anybody travelling as a foot passenger to arrive earlier than that over the holidays because we do expect extra volume,” explains Marshall.
Meantime, if you’re heading to the airport there are some things you can do to make things a little easier for yourself.
The first step is checking in online at home, then it’s a matter of getting there.
Reg Krake with YVR recommends taking transit if possible but if you are driving in, he says you can get a discounts on parking if you buy online in advance. “Lots of passengers enjoy taking the Canada Line and probably over 20 per cent of our passengers are taking transit to the airport, which is terrific. But certainly, there is lots of great parking options as well.”
With snow in the forecast today, he adds it’s key to check the weather locally and for your destination before leaving the house. “Because there may be conditions there that may cause a delay for you, so it’s good to be prepared in advance.”
The last hurdle is the security line. Krake says it’s best to go light on the jewels or anything you may need to take off.
