Question Period Note: Airport and flight delays

Various media outlets

• The delays at Canada’s International airports are due in part to a surging demand for travel, a reduced workforce in the air sector, and a more comprehensive entry process due to COVID.
• Transport Canada is working closely with other government departments and industry to reduce the impact of these delays in advance of the summer peak season.
• Transport Canada’s top priority is the safety, security and efficiency of Canada’s transportation system.

If pressed

• Transport Canada is closely monitoring the CATSA departure screening and the international arrivals process delays.
• Transport Canada continues to make every effort to address these issues while ensuring the highest level of security is provided to the travelling public.
• Transport Canada has been working closely with CATSA to ensure that adequate resources are allocated to respond to this surge of need for travelling.

• The media has been reporting significant delays at CATSA screening checkpoints and at CBSA primary inspection lines.
• CATSA is challenged by persistent “super peaks” (i.e. multiple flight departures scheduled within a short time period) where passengers flood the checkpoints and exacerbate wait times and checkpoint capacity.
• Many factors are contributing to delays at screening checkpoints including: labour shortages; processing challenges; insufficient exchange of information; consolidation of airline schedules among others.
• CATSA retained 75% of its workforce during the pandemic to assist with recovery. Screening contractors called back all available personnel in preparation for the summer peak. Hiring efforts have been underway for some time and newly certified screening officers are joining their colleagues on active duty each week.
• Transport Canada worked with CATSA and developed a plan to increase the number of screening officers at passenger screening checkpoints. A short-term exemption was issued to facilitate the onboarding of new screening officers without compromising security.
• A broader initiative, in partnership with industry, is also underway to address the CATSA service level concerns in the short term.
• Transport Canada created the Airport Operations Recovery Committee with participants from the largest airlines and airports as well as CATSA and Transport Canada to investigate causes and recommend solutions for addressing the wait time issue. Meetings have already taken place and a number of solutions have already been implemented. The Committee will continue for at least six months and will focus on better coordinating actions between government and industry partners, including the piloting of new or innovative approaches to address the ongoing operational and communications issues.
• Regarding international arrivals, some air carriers have had to wait close to two hours before being able to deplane passengers on international flights. This is due to multiple factors including:
  o capacity issue in the terminal at GTAA to welcome all passengers, especially at peak time;
  o delays associated with the entry process (e.g. health questions, referrals, random arrival testing);
  o failure of some passengers to complete ArriveCAN prior to entry.
• Transport Canada is working with PHAC and CBSA to map the in bound processes and to find efficiencies to better manage the volumes.

Location: International airports in Canada