Toronto airport operator Pearson has called on the federal government to make changes amid the “extreme waiting time” facing passengers.
The Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) said in a statement that it was “extremely proud” of the way employees “showed up” during the pandemic, but was aware of the delays facing both departures and arrivals. passengers.
The GTAA suggests that there are various factors that contribute to longer than normal waiting times, namely staff shortages and current public health requirements related to COVID-19.
Read more: Pearson Airport passengers asked to “pack their patience”, as reported by the long security lines
The statement said there were three government checkpoints in Pearson itself: a pre-departure check by the Canadian Air Security Authority (CATSA); prior authorization for U.S. travelers traveling by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (US-CBP); and customs clearance for passengers arriving from an international destination, which is carried out by the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) and has additional requirements established by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC).
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“The waiting time for departing passengers at security checkpoints is negatively affected by the challenges with CATSA staff,” the statement said.
“Travelers in the United States are affected by both the shortage of staff at CATSA and the USCBP. In addition, passengers arriving abroad face difficulties and very long delays in processing borders – a direct result of inherited public health requirements in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In order to prevent serious congestion of passengers, airport and airline employees are forced to keep passengers on planes and deliberately measure the flow of arriving passengers at the CBSA customs processing hall, a process we know and appreciate is incredibly frustrating for passengers. .
Read more: Pearson Airport in Toronto begins construction of the second busiest runway for repairs
The GTAA said airports were “beating the proverbial alarms” about layoffs and the resulting labor shortages, relative lack of investment in the sector, projects that have been postponed and financial challenges they face as a result of the pandemic.
The GTAA wants to see the federal government make various changes to improve the situation.
The operator said it wanted airport public health requirements to be either streamlined or eliminated – including random testing on arrival.
The statement also called on the feds to “invest in government agency staff and technology to meet globally competitive service standards” and work with the United States to ensure that USCBP staff return to pre-pandemic levels.
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“Recognizing the importance of aviation to Canada’s national economy and global perceptions, we need immediate government assistance to support the recovery of the air sector so that we can once again proudly welcome the world,” GTAA said.
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The government “is and will continue to support” the air sector: Cabinet of the Minister of Transport
Global News contacted CATSA, PHAC and Transport Canada to see if they would respond to the GTAA statement.
In a statement sent to Global News, the Office of the Minister of Transport said that the government “is and will continue to support” the air sector.
“We know that Canadians are experiencing long queues and delays at airports across the country,” the statement said.
“As the air sector continues to recover, staff remains a problem that the industry is working on as quickly as possible to solve …
“We liaise with airports and Transport Canada is closely involved with the Canadian Air Safety Authority to ensure that action is taken to resolve delays as soon as possible.”
The statement said Transport Minister Omar Algabra would meet with CATSA’s chief executive next week to “further discuss” the issue.
4:13 Why passengers face major delays at Canada’s largest airports Why passengers face major delays at Canada’s largest airports
“The Canadian Air Safety Authority is well aware of this problem and has introduced additional measures to increase staff in the coming weeks. We understand that Canadians may be disappointed with this situation and we ask them to remain patient as we work hard with CATSA to resolve this issue, “the statement said.
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COVID health requirements “continuously reviewed”: PHAC
A spokesman for PHAC, Mark Johnson, told Global News in an email that COVID-19-related restrictions and health requirements are being “kept under review.”
“In recent months, we have slowly and carefully begun to reopen and restart activities as the virus changes, we adjust our strategy,” Johnson said.
Johnson said there were “various reasons” for the delay at Pearson.
“As the number of travelers increases, the Government of Canada is working to build efficiency and additional capacity at the border. However, passengers need to be prepared for potentially longer waiting times and delays, “the email said.
Johnson said international passengers are encouraged to fill out ArriveCAN and pre-register for COVID-19 test providers before arriving in the country to speed up the process.
Read more: Canadian airport delays could be eased by summer, says industry spokesman
“Pre-registration for the test does not affect the selection for mandatory randomized testing,” Johnson said.
He said the government continues to look for possible efficiencies, “as alternative testing sites for the arrival of fully vaccinated passengers”.
CATSA and have not yet responded to a request for comment from Global News.
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On Monday, amid reports of long security queues at Pearson, CATSA suggested several factors were to blame for the delays.
In a statement, Crown said it was “not immune” to the recruitment and retention challenges facing the wider aviation industry.
“CATSA is actively supporting its screening contractors … as they take additional measures to ensure effective recruitment and development of applicants,” the agency said.
“In addition, more and more passengers are choosing to travel with more bags, which leads to the extra time needed to process these bags during the pre-screening.”
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