Dressed in clothes from the day before, Michael and Patricia Bears stood in a long line among other travelers waiting to check in at Pearson International Airport on Saturday – except they had no plans to fly that day. The couple, who live in Calgary, were in line to pick up a second hotel voucher after they were kicked off their WestJet flight home while connecting through Toronto from Charlottetown. “We had a gong show going back and forth,” Ms Bears, 65, said. The delay meant Mr. Bears had to cancel an MRI on his back in Calgary and he will have to wait another three months for a new appointment. The setbacks were constant during their trip to the Maritimes: their luggage arrived two days later; Returning home, their flight from Prince Edward Island was delayed. And even though they “ran like hell” to make their flight, by the time they got to the gate, their seats had already been assigned. “It’s crazy,” Ms. Bears said. “We should be home now.” Pearson’s delays prompted Air Canada to cut summer flights Canada Day weekend continued the summer travel chaos at Canada’s major airports, which have been hit by a surge in travelers and shortages of airline, security and customs workers. Some of the worst delays occurred in Montreal and Toronto, where check-ins stretched all the way to terminal entrances. South of the border, the long July 4th weekend saw US airports jammed with their biggest crowds since the pandemic began in 2020. Due to ongoing airport shutdowns, last week Air Canada canceled about 10 to 15 percent of its flight schedule for July and August, a critical period when airlines make much of their profits. Air Canada said some of the issues are beyond its control as understaffed airports struggle to handle a huge amount of luggage at terminals. Canadian airlines and airport operators have also blamed the federal government for security personnel shortages that have created bottlenecks at checkpoints. Travelers wait in line for WestJet at Toronto Pearson International Airport. Tijana Martin/The Globe and Mail WestJet spokeswoman Madison Kruger said the airline tried to ease the stress on its system by consolidating some flights. “Despite our consistent and proactive efforts, there are still significant operational challenges across the Canadian aviation ecosystem that are beyond our control, contributing to significant delays and sometimes cancellations,” he said. Neither the airline nor the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, which operates Pearson Airport, had statistics available on the number of flight cancellations and delays over the Canada Day weekend. Air Canada also said summer storms in the northeastern US and Florida caused some delays. Canada’s three largest airports in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal lost a combined $1.8 billion during the pandemic and were forced to cut capital spending. In May, the federal government committed $330 million to address delays and line-ups, but problems persist. Airlines regularly ask customers to arrive at airports earlier than usual to avoid missing their flights. Pearson’s delays prompted Air Canada to cut summer flights McGill University aviation lecturer John Gradek said Air Canada is prioritizing its premium-priced transatlantic flights as part of its strategy to serve U.S. travelers. The airline transports US customers from Chicago or other US cities to Toronto or Montreal, where they are transferred to an overseas flight. Passengers from those flights also found themselves in chaos at Canadian airports over the weekend. Colleen Barry, an American who lives in Italy and was traveling to San Diego, said her Air Canada flight was delayed in Venice due to a lack of cleaning crews, she was told, causing her and her family to lose their connection in Montreal. Ms Barry described having no idea what would happen next as she got off the plane in Montreal as no alternative plans had been communicated. Eventually, they spent the night in Montreal at a hotel they paid for before flying to California via Vancouver. “Nothing was published, there was no one there to meet us and let us know what was going on, so we had to find our way on our own with a lot of other people doing the same thing,” he said. Ms Barry said she thought it was smart to book her flight via Canada months ago, after a previous terrible experience connecting via New York during the pandemic. “We thought, we’re going through Canada, what could go wrong?” he said. The family tried to make the best of it by taking a stroll through downtown Montreal and leaving the airport to sightsee in Vancouver during another nine-hour layover. “We’re going to see two of the most beautiful cities in Canada, so we’re looking at the bright side,” he said. A woman helps her sister search for missing luggage through the baggage claim lines after arriving at Pearson International Airport.Tijana Martin/The Globe and Mail Others at the packed Montreal airport were more frustrated, like Lyne Audette, 59, who was waiting for her husband to return with news of their luggage. The couple returned from a trip to the Azores more than a week ago after a delayed connecting flight on Air Canada via Toronto. Her bags don’t. Now, Madame Odette wonders if she will ever see her luggage again. She said the experience has left her weak and she still doesn’t even know what city her bags are in. “Last Saturday, when we landed, we waited an hour and a half in line to report that we couldn’t find our luggage,” he said. “We were able to have a nice trip but there were long delays everywhere, long queues and it’s a bit disappointing.” Despite being Canada’s second-busiest airport, Vancouver International Airport managed to avoid unusual delays this long weekend, according to Alyssa Smith, spokeswoman for the Vancouver Airport Authority. Pearson serves many more connections, and more flights use Vancouver as an origin or destination point, he said. As Ms. Barry waited for her last flight to San Diego, she hoped Vancouver’s relative calm meant she would soon reach her destination. Her concern now is when she will return to Canada to her home in Italy in three weeks. “Hopefully we won’t have similar delays as at that point we have to get back to work,” he said. With reporting by Eric Atkins and The Associated Press The Morning Update and Afternoon Update newsletters are written by Globe editors, giving you a concise summary of the day’s most important headlines. Sign up today.
