Thousands of travellers lined up this week at Pearson Airport in Mississauga as borders reopen
Published August 14, 2021 at 5:27 pm
Canada began welcoming vaccinated Americans back across the border earlier this week, and the process has been anything but smooth at Pearson Airport in Mississauga.
The sudden, massive increase of travellers at the airport resulted in a far more chaotic situation than some were prepared for, with reports of crowding, long wait times, and COVID-19 safety measures not being enforced.
One user took to Twitter to complain about “grueling wait times” while another posted a photo of a crowded Pearson with no physical distancing between travellers.
Gruelling wait times at #Pearson. Airlines not remotely prepared. CC @AirCanada, who you cannot get in touch with. No explanation as to why they left me stranded, then on a milk run. W/months to prepare & business hurting, you’d think they’d be more efficient.
— yrna (@TheMCG) August 13, 2021
Thanks for the flyer to remind on social distancing. Wish it would be enforced at the airport. #governmentofcanada #torontoairport #covid19 pic.twitter.com/CW0F6o5Ae2
— Martina Brankovsky (@mytorontodoors) August 9, 2021
1 hour and 25 mins waiting to deplane at #PearsonAirport !!! We are told we’ll be metered off at some point Everyone well behaved. I understand enhanced covid screening but you’d think that when they opened the border someone might have seen this coming! pic.twitter.com/nzYrjGYST6
— Andrew McTear (@A_McTear) August 14, 2021
“With months to prepare and business hurting, you’d think they’d be more efficient,” said Twitter user @TheMCG.
The situation was not entirely unexpected — last weekend, Pearson issued a warning to travellers to start preparing for delays at the airport.
“While Pearson is working closely with airlines and government agencies to find every efficiency possible, it may take longer to pass through the airport due to additional health screenings for COVID-19,” according to a recent statement from Pearson.
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