A former Canadian airline executive says airport congestion problems could be with us for some time.
Published reports today say that more than one in every 20 flights scheduled to depart from Toronto Pearson Airport were cancelled between June 1 and June 7 due to delays and flight backlogs.
The Globe and Mail said Air Canada cancelled nearly 10% of its flights “amid staffing shortages and a surge in passengers at Canada’s busiest airport.”
Airlines around the world have been grappling with major delays and problems as travel surges to pre-pandemic levels. U.S. airlines are facing a shortage of pilots.
The Toronto Star said almost 200 flights were cancelled at Pearson between June 1 and June 7; more than 27 every day.
The Star quotes former Air Canada executive Dee Duncan as saying he’s never seen anything like it.
“It’s been going on now for two months. And all of the indicators are that you don’t know when it’s going to end.”
Ottawa has hired some 865 new workers to help with airport security and customs duties.
Toronto Pearson officials on Thursday said things are getting better.
| The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) thanks the federal government and Ministers Alghabra, Duclos, Mendicino and Boissonnault for their commitment to reduce delays for arriving and departing passengers at Canada’s hub airports, and for the progress that has been achieved. Their response to our request for the addition of more Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers is making a difference.
The recognition that more work is required by the Government to address international arrivals is also welcome. In a few days, international passenger numbers are set to increase by 50 per cent. In anticipation of a new wave of business and family travellers we urge the government to act immediately to temporarily pause random testing on arrival in airports for an immediate improvement until upgrades to the Government’s ArriveCan app have been made. In May of this year, 2,700 arriving flights were affected by metering or holding, affecting the travel plans of over 490,000 international arriving passengers. Travellers are being further delayed because of the time it takes to select passengers for random testing. The GTAA is collaborating with the Government on concrete solutions and is taking every conceivable step to ensure the airport is ready this summer. This includes deploying more staff to aid in the processes that have been introduced during the pandemic, with CBSA adding more kiosks in the Canada Customs Hall, and hiring additional staff. |
