Captain Chris, a Virgin Atlantic pilot who is active on social media, picked quite a time to make his first visit to Canada. On his Sunday evening arrival, Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) received 46 centimeters (18 inches) of snow, setting a new one-day record for the airport according to Environment Canada via TravelPulse.
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Captain Chris shared a video (embedded above) and a very kind caption stating:
“Landing into Toronto Pearson on Sunday night felt almost biblical, descending through a wall of snow, guided by calm, precise voices from air traffic control who delivered exactly the right information at exactly the right moment.
At minimums, the runway appeared exactly where it should have been, barely visible through the snowfall, yet reassuringly familiar. That’s professionalism. That’s trust. That’s teamwork.
And once on the ground, another world came alive. Snowploughs, sweepers and ground crews moving in perfect choreography to keep runways clear, taxiways visible and aircraft moving safely. As we rolled onto stand, ice and snow were cleared so we could taxi and park with confidence.
Huge respect to the incredible ground teams and controllers who work in these extreme conditions so the rest of us can do our jobs safely.
For my first visit to Canada, I couldn’t have been more impressed by Toronto Pearson and the people who keep this airport running when nature is at its fiercest.
This is aviation at its best. 👏❄️✈️”
Captain Chris is not the only one who agrees that the good folks working at YYZ are some of the industry’s best. Here are some comments from other pilots and former workers:
Lee S.: I know the guy who is responsible for overseeing the snow removal at YYZ. By the spring he is ready for the loonie bin.
Dan D.: I can’t imagine things have changed much in the recent five years or less. YYZ has been listed as having North America’s largest snow removal capability. Some European countries have sent personnel to YYZ to learn from these experts.
Kevin D.: I spent my entire 30 year airline pilot career based in YYZ. I’ve seen my share of snow and yes, Toronto knows how to deal with it. The de icing facility is equally impressive.
Aletha C.: When you depart Toronto you will be even more impressed with the efficiency of de icing under time pressures before icing starts again.
Stef W.: Have you seen the documentary series on YYZ? It’s on the National Geographic channel and I can highly recommend it. A lot of fascinating behind the scenes stuff that shows how they keep an airport running in these horrendous conditions. Hope you and the crew enjoyed your time in Toronto, my “second home.”
My wife is from Toronto so we go there often and I agree that the airport does a great job when it’s snowing and you do not have to wait too long to get de iced. It is nice to see some positive posts about air travel and YYZ on social media.
