Toronto Pearson Airport delays persist even after testing requirements lifted
You can all stop blaming random PCR testing requirements for the nightmare conditions and delays that have been plaguing Toronto Pearson International Airport for months.
Politicians and voices in the travel and hospitality industries pressured governments to drop testing restrictions, claiming they contribute to delays, while Pearson representatives have placed the blame squarely on an understaffed Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, unable to process the volume of travellers efficiently.
The end of random PCR testing for air travellers in the United States and Canada came last week, but the narrative that testing was to blame for delays is now falling flat, as Pearson is still the same chaotic dumpster fire of an airport as it was the week before.
Oops. Almost like the problem is staff related. https://t.co/PbkTvkS8MR
— David Moscrop (@David_Moscrop) June 12, 2022
A photo shared via Twitter on Sunday shows a board of afternoon departures from Pearson's Terminal 1. Of the 38 flights shown on the board, 21 appear delayed, two show up as cancelled, and only 15 are scheduled to leave on time.
Remember all those inbound flights turn to outbound flights. They longer passengers wait to deplane the longer the delay for the outbound. Rebooking inbound misconnections and outbound misconnections happen almost everyday starting around noon.
— Have to add something here👇🏻 (@ggirl1968) June 13, 2022
Now that it's impossible to blame Pearson Airport's hellish conditions on random PCR testing, the so-called "freedom" crowd has decided that the problem is actually vaccination mandates imposed on airport workers.
So turns out testing wasn’t the problem. And BTW wait times in airports = first world problem.
— Corgi Girl 🇨🇦🏈💚🐕 (@barblet30) June 12, 2022
"They haven't lifted the mandates so staff shortages are still ongoing.... get informed," claims one Twitter user whose idea of being informed appears to be consuming and retweeting posts claiming that vaccines cause Ramsay Hunt syndrome, monkeypox, and other entirely unrelated illnesses.
As people struggle to find a way to pin this problem on the politicians they dislike oh so very much, reports from other airports around the world reveal that the problem is in no way localized and exists in other places far beyond the reach of Justin Trudeau.
Everyone trying to blame Trudeau's government take note. This is the Milan airport right now. It's the same staff shortage around the world. I'm not pro Trudeau, but I've actually left my backyard so I may qualify to have an opinion! @ItsDeanBlundell @DBlundellNet @ryanlindley pic.twitter.com/tOZ6rTOsrx
— Brenton.On.Tour.Podcast (@brentonontour) June 12, 2022
Blaming airport chaos on Trudeau has become a popular conservative talking point, with Conservative Party leadership hopeful Pierre Poilievre (who may or may not actually be Milhouse van Houten from The Simpsons) recently making a whole big thing about how airport staffing is somehow on the Prime Minister.
A friend just returned to Canada and said the wait at the Lisbon airport was over 4 hours. Justin Trudeau is screwing up airports all over the world! (Btw, his wait at Pearson: 0). #CanadianPrivilege #whiningtravellers #Canada #travel #zipit #ConTalkingPoints #BlameSoros pic.twitter.com/kLEMVZQ3uH
— Stephen Tustin (@stustin) June 13, 2022
Meanwhile, if Pearson Airport is a necessary step in your travel plans, airport authorities are warning travellers to pack patience and not be a complete tool to staff just trying to do their jobs.
