Passengers arrive at Pearson Airport in Mississauga, Ont. on Tuesday, March 14, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
TORONTO – The Greater Toronto Airports Authority says it’s well-prepared for the summer travel season at Toronto Pearson International Airport thanks to bolstered staffing and technological improvements following widespread delays and cancellations that travellers experienced last year.
The airport authority says it has hired 130 new staff to help handle critical areas such as busing, baggage handling and terminal operations.
It has also streamlined its contactless check-in and boarding processes through a new partnership with the Canada Border Services Agency to deploy biometric e-gates and expedite customs clearance for travellers.
Meanwhile, an upgraded baggage system relying on AI technology is designed to anticipate overloading and detect potential breakdowns before they occur.
The authority says it will gather data to hold airlines accountable on proper training and staffing availability when handling baggage, with the goal of reducing baggage recirculation, maintaining system capacity and reducing delays at check-in and departure.
Earlier this year, the airport authority said it would cap the number of flights into and out of Pearson during peak travel periods in attempt to reduce traffic following a surge in demand last summer that led to overflowing baggage halls, stranded passengers and tens of thousands of flight cancellations.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2023.
