Solving problems before they start

EIA wins national award for creating a smooth experience for planes and passengers

Members of EIA’s Maintenance Section pose with the PEMAC Award

September 19, 2019 (Edmonton, AB) Edmonton International Airport has been recognized nationally for its efforts to reduce delays for passengers, help airlines operate on time and have an airport that runs smoothly for everyone.

The Plant Engineering and Maintenance Association of Canada (PEMAC) awarded the EIA maintenance team its Team of the Year award at the Association’s national convention last night. This award is a recognition of EIA’s efforts to transition to a proactive maintenance program designed to find issues and resolve them before they even happen.

 “This is great recognition of a team who has worked extremely hard implementing a new maintenance system and adapting to a whole new way of providing reliable airport systems,” says Steve Maybee, EIA Vice President of Operations and Infrastructure. “Their passion and dedication are evident in the work they do every day to create a positive experience for our valuable customers.”

The ultimate goal of EIA’s maintenance program is to eliminate downtime for machines such as baggage carousels, allowing the airport to run smoothly without disruptions or interruptions. This means passengers get their bags as fast as possible, airlines have gates waiting when they land, and the airport experience is seamless for everyone. Ultimately this work saves money for airlines, making EIA a desirable airport for route development, and means passengers experience fewer delays.

Some examples of EIA’s work to win the award include:

• the effective installation of vibration sensors powered by AI technology on rotating drive assemblies. These sensors allowed us to predict remaining time before failures on baggage system drives, avoiding costly equipment damage and unplanned downtime. Similar failures in the past have cost the company over $30,000 in resources and material cost.
• implementing new programs, such as digital solutions for creating work orders and identifying preventative maintenance opportunities.
• rolling out a mobile app that allows workers to enter maintenance observations in real-time in the field. This has significantly increased the number of observations created and work orders completed.

Other major maintenance responsibilities of EIA’s team include the management of the airport’s 7,000 acres of land, including runways, utility servicing and road network maintenance and planning within Airport City.

Maintenance process enhancements are improving the airport experience for employees and passengers alike and are contributing to EIA’s digital transformation and status as a world-class airport. Recognition like the PEMAC Maintenance Team of the Year award can be used to support attracting new air service routes and development partners. A reliable terminal building is an enticing business proposition for our stakeholders, including airlines, concessionaires and security organizations.

About Edmonton International Airport

Edmonton International Airport is a self-funded, not-for-profit corporation whose mandate is to drive economic prosperity for the Edmonton Metropolitan Region. EIA is Canada’s fifth-busiest airport by passenger traffic and the largest major Canadian airport by land area. EIA offers non-stop connections to destinations across Canada, the US, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe. EIA is a major economic driver, with an economic output of over $3.2 billion, supporting over 26,000 jobs. EIA’s Airport City propels new jobs, tourism and economic diversification – and creates a destination in and around EIA, featuring entertainment, e-commerce, retail, hospitality, cargo/logistics, bio-pharma, light manufacturing and many other industries. EIA is focused on digital strategy to ensure it becomes the airport of the future. For more information, please visit: flyeia.com, follow @flyeia on Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin or Facebook.