Toronto Mayor John Tory has joined the chorus of critics who are blasting Toronto Pearson Airport over flight delays and congestion.
“The situation at the airport is not acceptable at it presently it. It’s just not acceptable,” Tory said Tuesday at a press conference. “This is not just a Toronto problem. (Pearson) is the gateway to all of Canada.”
A video about Pearson delays posted by former NHL player Ryan Whitney went viral earlier this week. In his video, which has garnered more than 2 million views on Twitter, Whitney describes how his flight to Boston was cancelled and how he spent “six hours” in line waiting for help. He says he was finally rebooked on another flight the next morning, but wasn’t notified.
Whitney calls Canada’s busiest airport “the worst place on earth” in his video.
The federal government has said it will hire more security workers and open more Canada customs kiosks to help with overcrowding and delays at Pearson.
CTV News reports that Transport Minister Omar Alghabra told reporters in Ottawa on Tuesday that the federal government wants to remedy this situation as soon as possible, noting that it has the “greatest sense of urgency.”
“I know it’s frustrating. We’re going to do everything we can to provide the resources they need, to help logistically, to provide the support they need,” he said.
But critics say it’s not enough, and that it will take too long for changes to come into effect.
