Toronto Pearson Warns Travellers To Expect Even More Delays & Here's What You Need To Know

Travellers arriving at Toronto Pearson are being warned that they may experience even more delays, due to ongoing "health checks" and high passenger volumes.

Sharing a notice on Sunday, May 8, the airport warned that passengers arriving should expect processing times to be longer than normal.

Pre-pandemic, it took on average 15-30 seconds for a CBSA official to clear an international arriving passenger. This time frame has now increased up to four times, due to the government's COVID-19 screening questions.

As a result, peak arrival times are extremely busy and passengers may be delayed, Pearson explained.

Passengers are warned that they may need to be "held on their aircraft or in designated waiting areas inside the terminals and slowly metered into the customs hall."

While the latest advice applies to international arrivals, the airport is also asking departing passengers to give themselves plenty of time to catch their flight.

In a message shared online, Toronto Pearson warned, "Your airport experience will be different than previous trips."

It explained that the airport — which is already Canada's busiest — has seen a sharp increase in travellers since the country's federal COVID-19 travel restrictions have loosened up.

"As Canada’s hub airport, more passengers are passing through Pearson than at any other time during the pandemic, while many of the Government of Canada’s health screening measures are still in place," the notice reads.

Those taking domestic flights are advised to arrive at the airport at least two hours before their scheduled departure.

Canadians flying internationally are urged to arrive at least three hours in advance, to account for delays at check-in desks and security checkpoints.

The situation at Toronto Pearson has become so chaotic that the airport has called on the federal government for additional support.

Earlier this week, the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) issued a statement acknowledging the extreme wait times being experienced at airports all over the country.

It blamed "pent-up demand for air travel occasioned by the pandemic" and low staffing levels as a result of "recruitment challenges" for the ongoing delays.