Mississauga’s Pearson Airport keeps Raptors’ guard waiting six hours

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Published September 14, 2021 at 10:08 am

Pearson Airport in Mississauga crowd

It’s not only the regular, lesser-known travellers who are experiencing chaos and frustrating delays these days at Mississauga’s Pearson Airport. 

Toronto Raptors guard/forward Yuta Watanabe waited six hours earlier this week inside the terminal after arriving at Pearson, Canada’s largest international travel hub, on a five-hour flight from Los Angeles. 

Now, Watanabe isn’t exactly an NBA star, but his experience speaks to the notion there are very few exceptions when it comes to travellers at Pearson experiencing what many have described as chaotic airport conditions complete with frustratingly lengthy wait times for service since the resumption of international travel last week. 

One traveller tweeted on Sunday: “Please, it’s a mess…I can’t understand how every other airport in the world manages to be functional and Pearson collapses…” 

Another chimed in with, “Pearson Airport has replaced Yorkdale Mall as the worst place in the entire world.” 

Yet another frustrated Canadian traveller says he always flies out of Buffalo. “It’s about two hours’ drive to Buffalo Airport. Or one-and-a-half hours to Pearson, and then deal with all the b.s. there.” 

Still, not all travellers making their way through Pearson the past week or so have negative experiences to report. 

Justin Kim tweeted he “safely arrived” at Pearson and is “excited to start my PhD this week” at University of Western Ontario, which provided him a care package complete with a UWO backpack and several snacks to keep him busy during any long waits.  

And that might be a good idea, considering this message from traveller Michael Hanrahan yesterday: “Bring food. Most establishments remain closed.” 

As COVID-19 restrictions continue to loosen, all foreign nationals who are fully vaccinated are now eligible to enter Canada for non-essential travel, according to the Canada Border Services Agency. 

Some restrictions still apply, including that travellers must be asymptomatic and have proof of a valid pre-arrival COVID-19 molecular test. Some travellers may also have to take a test upon arrival. 

Canada began welcoming back fully vaccinated Americans in early August. 

 

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