The Comox Valley Airport is helping to increase awareness among students in the Comox Valley about the airport and its operations, with the launch of a new school tour program aimed at students in kindergarten through Grade 4.There are also special shorter versions of the tour available for pre-school aged students from three to five years.“We are pleased to work with local elementary schools and pre-schools to offer a formalized school tour program for Comox Valley students,” said Christianne Wile, manager of marketing and public communications at YQQ. “We take our responsibility as a corporate citizen seriously and we are pleased at this opportunity to contribute to the educational experience of students in our community.”The elementary school program follows a day in the life of YQQ, starting with a tour where the first stop is meeting airline staff and discussing how passengers check into flights. The tour includes a lesson on how baggage is screened by security staff, where students learn about the need and the process used to screen baggage. The interactive tour utilizes a special demonstration suitcase full of items that allows students see how baggage screeners utilize the x-ray screening equipment.Wile added students will also learn how baggage is collected and loaded in and out of an aircraft. They will receive a special escorted tour on the “airside” of YQQ operations to learn about how aircraft and passengers are handled once they arrive at the terminal building. There is plenty of opportunity for questions and at the conclusion of the tour students will receive a special YQQ set of learning tools, including a ruler, bookmark and pencil, she noted.“We’ve had great success with school tours in the past”, said Alex Robertson, acting YQQ operations manager. “Feedback from students, parents and teachers has been overwhelmingly positive and we have taken their comments into consideration in developing this formal program.”Robertson also says that YQQ tenants have been very supportive of school tours and their willingness to participate has helped to make the program what it is today.Elementary and pre-school officials who are interested in booking a tour for their students, or obtaining more information about the program, can e-mail info@comoxairport.com or phone 250-890-0829.— Comox Valley Airport