Aspire Lounges, the leading airport lounge brand of Swissport International, and Air Canada collaborate to launch Aspire | Air Canada Café at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) featuring private workspaces and locally-sourced food and drink. The new concept has been developed with a focus on sustainability. 

Aspire Lounges, Swissport International’s leading airport lounges brand, has collaborated with Air Canada for a new, environmentally conscious, co-branded lounge at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ). Domestic travellers can experience the Aspire | Air Canada Café by booking online through executivelounges.com or via other membership programs such as Priority Pass, American Express, or Dragonpass. Air Canada customers who are Aeroplan 50K, 75K, or Aeroplan Super Elite Status members, Star Alliance Gold members, Aeroplan premium co-brand cardholders and customers connecting to an Air Canada business class ticket will receive complimentary access.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Air Canada on our first joint lounge concept and are very pleased with the result,” says Charles Roberge, CEO of Swissport Canada. “With Billy Bishop City Airport now part of our lounge network, Aspire operates six lounges at four Canadian airports and plans to continue to expand across Canada”. 

Located in the domestic departures area, the Aspire | Air Canada Café can accommodate 133 guests. The new lounge has been built to meet the LEED ID+C standards, a globally recognized certification that ensures a space is designed using sustainable building practices. The lounge will be open daily from 5:30am to 8:30pm and features locally roasted coffee delivered via state-of-the-art coffee machines, private workspaces, lounge seating and communal tables to provide a comfortable and relaxing environment for eligible passengers.

The food and beverage selection features locally sourced options, like local breads and pastries, baked on site, as well as a special ‘Homemade-to-go’ area, delivering excellent freshly made sandwiches or light bites for those short on time. Additionally, lounge guests will enjoy a fully tendered bar, stocked with local Ontario wines, beers, spirits and cocktails.

At Toronto City Airport Swissport reinforces its commitment to providing exceptional services for its airline customers worldwide. The newest lounge is Toronto’s first Aspire Lounge and also aims to be the first LEED-certified lounge in Swissport’s international network of now 63 Aspire lounges. One of the top priorities was to be as eco-friendly as possible in order to reduce the collective environmental footprint. One innovative example: the high-quality wine is served on tap, eliminating the need for some 9,000 glass bottles per year. Additionally, all of the water is provided via a filtered water system, without any need for plastic bottles.

“We know how much Air Canada customers value the convenience of flying to and from Billy Bishop, especially the many who travel frequently within the busy Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal corridor,” said Jacqueline Harkness, Managing Director, Product & Services, Air Canada. “Collaborating with Swissport on the Aspire | Air Canada Café, we’re excited to be elevating the Air Canada experience at Billy Bishop and to once again build upon our network of best-in-class lounges.“

“Travelling from Toronto’s City Airport is unlike any other airport experience:  Stunning views of the Toronto skyline coupled with world-class service is matched by the ease and convenience of the airport experience,” noted Neil Pakey, CEO of Nieuport Aviation, owner and operator of the airport's passenger terminal, “This new lounge is an incredible addition for passengers infusing local art, culture and products with environmentally conscious design and practices.”    

The Aspire | Air Canada Café at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport will join a rapidly growing list of 63 Swissport lounges at 38 airports worldwide. Together Swissport welcomes more than seven million passengers per year. The lounge will be the sixth lounge in Canada, where Swissport currently operates five other lounges: two Aspire Lounges in Calgary, two lounges in Montreal, and one Aspire Lounge in Ottawa.