Passengers at Pearson Airport can’t seem to catch a break.
In addition to existing delays and flight cancellations, many are expressing frustration as they haven’t been able to find their luggage.
“I’ve been through many cancelled flights and now my bag is gone, now that I’m finally home,” one traveller told Global News.
“I feel like it’s very disorganized and the customer service line is crazy. And then (staff) are getting mad at us because we’re mad and it’s just a loophole of frustration.”
Musician Daniel DeKay recently got back from touring in Europe with his band, Exciter.
Like many travellers, he says it’s taken days to retrieve his luggage.
“I guess three days later, they had had enough time to throw my bag through the oversized door, so it was just sitting there,” he said.
“My guitars were sitting there on their side amongst tons of other (things). I’m talking strollers, bicycles, big cardboard boxes.”
A spokesperson with the Greater Toronto Airport Authority says it has “worked with airlines to ensure unclaimed bags are removed from the carousels and staged in the baggage hall to make room for bags from other flights.”
“Airlines have the responsibility for reuniting passengers with their luggage.”
Amid labour shortages, the federal government hired 850 new screening agents to help with delays at airports.
“We at the federal government have added the resources that are under our jurisdictions and now we’re working with airlines and airports,” federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra said at a news conference Wednesday.
As for DeKay, he advises travellers caught in the baggage backlog to go to the airport with their passport and boarding pass and look for it, rather than depending on the airline to ship the luggage.
He adds that those thinking of flying should consider only bringing on carry-on luggage and if they can, invest in a tracking device such as Apple’s AirTags so that you can keep tabs on your items in case they get lost.