G
gabe
Guest
I drove my sister to the airport today, what a mess!!! word of advise don't travel by air unless its an last resort 
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/743081---absolute-bedlam-on-pearson-s-busiest-day
Travellers stewing in huge lineups at Pearson International Airport are warning of "absolute bedlam" as heightened security has dramatically slowed down travel on the airport's busiest day.
Jack Gardiner waited in line for hours in Terminal One only to find his family's Air Canada flight to New York was cancelled. Rather than rebook him, airline staff handed him a 1-800 toll free number and told him to do it himself.
"It's absolute bedlam in here," Gardiner said. "And in true Canadian fashion, no one is coming and telling you what's going on, whose doing what, what your expectations
are.
"We're going to go home and drive. We'll take our chances that way."
The Terminal 1 departure area looks like a disaster-relief holding pen, with people sitting on suitcases or sleeping on the floor as they wait in line to get to the gates.
Transport Canada and the U.S. Transport Security Administration issued new measures for Canada-U.S. flights - including a limit of one carry-on bag and more rigorous passenger screening - in the wake of the failed Christmas Day terrorist attack on a Northwest Airlines flight to Detroit.
A 23-year-old Nigerian man who claimed to have Al Qaeda ties was charged Saturday with trying to destroy the plane by igniting an explosive substance hidden in his pants. Authorities learned his father had warned U.S. officials of concerns about his son's religious beliefs.
The snaking line in Terminal 1 is so long it has lost its shape, folding back onto itself and looping around the Air Canada counter.
"It's not a good scene here. We've moved forward eight feet in 45 minutes," said Star reporter Tracey Tyler this morning, speaking on the phone from the U.S. Customs line.
"The line is winding around - it's almost the length of the terminal."
Tyler's flight was supposed to leave for Tampa Bay, Fla., at 11:15 a.m. At 3 p.m., Tyler was still stuck in the U.S. customs line. She said a sister trying to fly out of Chicago was also caught in delays and the planned family get-together in Florida seemed doomed.
Slowing down things at Pearson were staff hand-checking carry-on bags, people with more than one having to repack bags to be stowed and, for WestJet passengers, being patted-down as a security precaution.
The checks will remain in place until Dec. 30, at which point, WestJet will re-evaluate its position based on decisions made by Transport Canada and the U.S. Transport Security Administration.
"I think that what most people would say that it is most unfortunate that one man has caused so much damage," said Kathryn Gamble, one of the thousands waiting at Pearson. She was considering cancelling her family ski trip to Denver, Colorado.
"The U.S. customs should take a more reasonable approach to security."
Brad Cicero, a spokesperson for Porter Airlines said there has been a spike in bookings with Porter Airlines.
"We've had dozens of booking today for flights that are departing to the U.S. today and tomorrow. Whether this has anything to do with the delays at Pearson, it's hard to say, but we have noticed an increase."
But most passengers waiting in Terminal 1 appeared frustrated but calm.
Allan and Gillian Bowditch arrived three hours before their flight to Wales, U.K., where they plan to meet their 36-year-old son, who is flying there from Melbourne, Australia, for two days to tell their Welsh relatives he is expecting his first child.
With the giant lines, they fear they will miss their son altogether.
It seems to be a great deal of overkill, Allan Bowditch said, adding he hasn't seen anything like it in 40 years of flying.
"I think everybody appreciates there needs to be extra security, but not to the point where you grind the whole system to paralysis."
Other travellers were advising people to bring food to eat in the long lineups. Just before noon, airport staff began handing out water bottles to waiting travellers.
Mozaik's Café in Terminal 1 was running out of food and drinks as travellers in unexpectedly long lines raided the shelves. Empty trays and baskets sat on the counter; half the shelves in the fridge were empty.
Behind the counter, Jassi Atwal said around 11:30 a.m. that she had already called her manager four or five times to restock.
"It's so crazy," Atwal said. "It's so hard over here - there's nothing, it's all gone. We're running out of money, running out of food."
After nearly 5 hours of waiting with her husband, Neil Blacklock, to clear U.S. customs, Fran Richardson, took some needle and some yellow yarn out of her suitcase and started to crochet.
"I said to Neil I have to do something," who was working on a shawl for a church project.
The couple, who had a quick trip from downtown Toronto, by limo before dawn, were heading to Fort Lauderdale to catch an eastern Caribbean cruise on Monday. In past years, they had booked a flight the same day they were scheduled to board a cruise ship but had problems making the connection. So this time, they decided to fly south one day in advance.
Was there any chance Richardson would finish crocheting her shawl before finally boarding the plane?
"I hope not," she said. "Please no. I really want to get to fly today."
Trish Kale, a spokesperson for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority said Sunday that there were significant delays, mostly for passengers flying to the U.S.
"It would help if passengers were familiar with the new regulations," she said, referring to passengers who are allowed to bring only one carry-on baggage instead of the previous two bags. "We have some delays because passengers come to the airport and they don't know that so then they're shuffling things around."
More than 120 flights were listed as cancelled as of mid-afternoon Sunday, but that is less than 12 per cent of the total daily flights at Pearson. Krale said the GTAA was not responsible for flight cancellations, and would not say if the cancellations were due to the newly enforced security measures.
Shortly before 2:30 p.m., Tyler who was waiting in the customs line at the airport said Air Canada officials announced that 20 flights had been cancelled, although no reason had been given. Flights leaving for Houston, Pittsburg, Newark, New York, Washington, Chicago, Boston and Nashville amongst others has been cancelled.
She said officials told passengers from the cancelled flights to go home and rebook their flights online.
Air Canada could not be reached for comment.
New rules imposed by the U.S. also limit travellers' movements during a flight. During the final hour of flight, passengers must remain seated and will not be allowed to access carry-on baggage or have personal belongings on their laps.
The travel advisory on Air Canada's website, said the new security measures that go into effect Sunday will be continued indefinitely until further notice. The airline's chief operating officer said in a statement the "temporary carry-on policy will assist security officers at the gate in screening customers more quickly and thereby minimize delays for passengers to the extent possible."
In light of the measures, Air Canada says it will rebook passengers, at no charge, who miss flight connections because of the delays.
WestJet states on its website that it will be will be waiving excess baggage fees for all flights to the United States until Dec 30. The normal fee is $75 per bag.
At the Toronto island airport, from which Porter Airlines flies to U.S. destinations including Boston and Chicago, there are no delays, an airport spokesperson said.
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/743081---absolute-bedlam-on-pearson-s-busiest-day
Travellers stewing in huge lineups at Pearson International Airport are warning of "absolute bedlam" as heightened security has dramatically slowed down travel on the airport's busiest day.
Jack Gardiner waited in line for hours in Terminal One only to find his family's Air Canada flight to New York was cancelled. Rather than rebook him, airline staff handed him a 1-800 toll free number and told him to do it himself.
"It's absolute bedlam in here," Gardiner said. "And in true Canadian fashion, no one is coming and telling you what's going on, whose doing what, what your expectations
are.
"We're going to go home and drive. We'll take our chances that way."
The Terminal 1 departure area looks like a disaster-relief holding pen, with people sitting on suitcases or sleeping on the floor as they wait in line to get to the gates.
Transport Canada and the U.S. Transport Security Administration issued new measures for Canada-U.S. flights - including a limit of one carry-on bag and more rigorous passenger screening - in the wake of the failed Christmas Day terrorist attack on a Northwest Airlines flight to Detroit.
A 23-year-old Nigerian man who claimed to have Al Qaeda ties was charged Saturday with trying to destroy the plane by igniting an explosive substance hidden in his pants. Authorities learned his father had warned U.S. officials of concerns about his son's religious beliefs.
The snaking line in Terminal 1 is so long it has lost its shape, folding back onto itself and looping around the Air Canada counter.
"It's not a good scene here. We've moved forward eight feet in 45 minutes," said Star reporter Tracey Tyler this morning, speaking on the phone from the U.S. Customs line.
"The line is winding around - it's almost the length of the terminal."
Tyler's flight was supposed to leave for Tampa Bay, Fla., at 11:15 a.m. At 3 p.m., Tyler was still stuck in the U.S. customs line. She said a sister trying to fly out of Chicago was also caught in delays and the planned family get-together in Florida seemed doomed.
Slowing down things at Pearson were staff hand-checking carry-on bags, people with more than one having to repack bags to be stowed and, for WestJet passengers, being patted-down as a security precaution.
The checks will remain in place until Dec. 30, at which point, WestJet will re-evaluate its position based on decisions made by Transport Canada and the U.S. Transport Security Administration.
"I think that what most people would say that it is most unfortunate that one man has caused so much damage," said Kathryn Gamble, one of the thousands waiting at Pearson. She was considering cancelling her family ski trip to Denver, Colorado.
"The U.S. customs should take a more reasonable approach to security."
Brad Cicero, a spokesperson for Porter Airlines said there has been a spike in bookings with Porter Airlines.
"We've had dozens of booking today for flights that are departing to the U.S. today and tomorrow. Whether this has anything to do with the delays at Pearson, it's hard to say, but we have noticed an increase."
But most passengers waiting in Terminal 1 appeared frustrated but calm.
Allan and Gillian Bowditch arrived three hours before their flight to Wales, U.K., where they plan to meet their 36-year-old son, who is flying there from Melbourne, Australia, for two days to tell their Welsh relatives he is expecting his first child.
With the giant lines, they fear they will miss their son altogether.
It seems to be a great deal of overkill, Allan Bowditch said, adding he hasn't seen anything like it in 40 years of flying.
"I think everybody appreciates there needs to be extra security, but not to the point where you grind the whole system to paralysis."
Other travellers were advising people to bring food to eat in the long lineups. Just before noon, airport staff began handing out water bottles to waiting travellers.
Mozaik's Café in Terminal 1 was running out of food and drinks as travellers in unexpectedly long lines raided the shelves. Empty trays and baskets sat on the counter; half the shelves in the fridge were empty.
Behind the counter, Jassi Atwal said around 11:30 a.m. that she had already called her manager four or five times to restock.
"It's so crazy," Atwal said. "It's so hard over here - there's nothing, it's all gone. We're running out of money, running out of food."
After nearly 5 hours of waiting with her husband, Neil Blacklock, to clear U.S. customs, Fran Richardson, took some needle and some yellow yarn out of her suitcase and started to crochet.
"I said to Neil I have to do something," who was working on a shawl for a church project.
The couple, who had a quick trip from downtown Toronto, by limo before dawn, were heading to Fort Lauderdale to catch an eastern Caribbean cruise on Monday. In past years, they had booked a flight the same day they were scheduled to board a cruise ship but had problems making the connection. So this time, they decided to fly south one day in advance.
Was there any chance Richardson would finish crocheting her shawl before finally boarding the plane?
"I hope not," she said. "Please no. I really want to get to fly today."
Trish Kale, a spokesperson for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority said Sunday that there were significant delays, mostly for passengers flying to the U.S.
"It would help if passengers were familiar with the new regulations," she said, referring to passengers who are allowed to bring only one carry-on baggage instead of the previous two bags. "We have some delays because passengers come to the airport and they don't know that so then they're shuffling things around."
More than 120 flights were listed as cancelled as of mid-afternoon Sunday, but that is less than 12 per cent of the total daily flights at Pearson. Krale said the GTAA was not responsible for flight cancellations, and would not say if the cancellations were due to the newly enforced security measures.
Shortly before 2:30 p.m., Tyler who was waiting in the customs line at the airport said Air Canada officials announced that 20 flights had been cancelled, although no reason had been given. Flights leaving for Houston, Pittsburg, Newark, New York, Washington, Chicago, Boston and Nashville amongst others has been cancelled.
She said officials told passengers from the cancelled flights to go home and rebook their flights online.
Air Canada could not be reached for comment.
New rules imposed by the U.S. also limit travellers' movements during a flight. During the final hour of flight, passengers must remain seated and will not be allowed to access carry-on baggage or have personal belongings on their laps.
The travel advisory on Air Canada's website, said the new security measures that go into effect Sunday will be continued indefinitely until further notice. The airline's chief operating officer said in a statement the "temporary carry-on policy will assist security officers at the gate in screening customers more quickly and thereby minimize delays for passengers to the extent possible."
In light of the measures, Air Canada says it will rebook passengers, at no charge, who miss flight connections because of the delays.
WestJet states on its website that it will be will be waiving excess baggage fees for all flights to the United States until Dec 30. The normal fee is $75 per bag.
At the Toronto island airport, from which Porter Airlines flies to U.S. destinations including Boston and Chicago, there are no delays, an airport spokesperson said.
