Airport Experience® News - Post-Conference Issue 2024

With Childcare Help And Other Perks, Airports Are Going The Extra Mile To Retain Employees

BY SALLY KRAL

In 2021, Kelowna International Airport (YLW) conducted a childcare needs assessment for airports employees, the results of which affirmed a clear demand for childcare assistance. Out of 105 respondents, 69 indicated that they either have children or plan to have children in the next five years, with 27 stating an immediate need for care. “We learned that childcare availability is a primary driver for airport campus staff to be able to remain at or return to work at the airport,” says airport CEO Sam Samaddar. “The Kelowna Airport YMCA Child Care project was conceived to address these critical needs, aiming to provide reliable and quality care for children in a new, conveniently located facility.”

Right: Following a 2021 childcare needs assessment Kelowna International Airport determined that access to affordable onsite childcare was a top priority for its employees. In response the airport opened its Kelowna Airport YMCA Child Care Facility on airport grounds last fall, with 86 spaces available for children from infancy to 5 years of age.

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AX NEWS APRIL/MAY 2024