Travellers Converge On Busy Pearson Airport

If Santa had to take off from Pearson International Airport, you have to wonder if he’d make it by Christmas Eve.

Officials there are doing their best, but the crush of travellers streaming through the terminals is staggering, as everyone looks to get away before December 25 ^th.

The Greater Toronto Airports Authority estimates some 95,000 passengers will pass through the terminals over the next two days.

All those crowds already have many on edge. “It’s stressful,” agrees Sabrina D‘Orazio. “Travelling is not fun. Hopefully when we get there it will be so much better.”

How can you speed up the process? Here are some suggestions.

Get there early

You always hear this advice and there’s a reason. Try as they might, no matter how many counters an airline opens up there will always be more passengers than clerks to help them. So you’ll have to wait. The peak times are 7am-9:30am and 3pm-8pm.

Here’s what the G.T.A.A. suggests as your timeline:

• For flights within Canada, check in at least 90 minutes prior to departure
• For flights to the U.S., check in a minimum of 2 hours prior to departure
• For international flights, check in a minimum of 2 hours prior to departure

Pack properly

Don’t overload your baggage. The airlines won’t get let you take something that’s too heavy onboard.

Don’t wrap your Christmas gifts. Customs agents will rip them open to check them, no matter how much time you’ve spent on the paper.

And make sure you know the latest rules about what can – and can’t – go in your carry on bags. (To see the list, click here.)

Take The Proper ID

Things are changing at airports, and beginning in late January if you want to fly to the U.S., you’ll need a passport. But you should have everything you need to get across the border just in case.

Until the new rules kick in, Canadians heading south must present proof of identity and a government issued photo I.D. Rules differ on other destinations so check before you go.

Consider The Paperless Ticket

Some airlines say you can speed things up considerably at the gate if you buy a non-paper ticket online. They often come with the added bonus of being slightly cheaper.

Dress for speed

It sounds weird, but you’ll inevitably have to go through a metal detector when you walk through security. Wearing clothing that’s replete with buckles, metal or anything else that might get flagged will not only slow you down, but keep everyone else waiting behind you.

Depending on where you’re going, you may be required to remove your shoes. Footwear that’s easy to slip on and off is a help as well.

It’s no joke

As too many travellers have learned at their peril, making any kind of joke about security, explosives or threats is a one-way ticket to trouble. And the punishment may be non-refundable!

You could wind up being interrogated and you might just miss your flight. Keep the jibes out of your conversation until you get where you’re going.

To check on a flight arriving or departing from Pearson, click here.

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