Former NHL player shares disappointment with Air Canada, Pearson in video

Toronto Pearson Airport officials have asked travellers for months to plan accordingly, as we see longer wait times at security and customs checkpoints at peak hours. But over the weekend those wait times were combined with abrupt flight cancellations, adding to an already stressful scenario for hundreds of passengers.

On Monday morning, Ryan Whitney, a former professional hockey player and current Barstool Sports podcaster, shared his frustration on social media alongside other passengers, after Air Canada cancelled flights and allegedly had minimal staff to assist those who were ultimately stranded.

In a video posted on Twitter, Whitney explains that after arriving to Toronto at 3 p.m. the day before from Edmonton, he waited three hours in customs only to discover that his connecting flight at 8:30 p.m. to Boston with Air Canada had been cancelled.

I live at Toronto Pearson International airport. The worst place on earth. I smell so bad. pic.twitter.com/PfdnHcO7Ad

— Ryan Whitney (@ryanwhitney6) June 6, 2022

“At this point, now I see that there is about a 400-person line with two Air Canada workers,” Whitney says in the video that has garnered more than one million views on Twitter.

He goes on to describe that after waiting six hours and nearing the end of the line, the Air Canada employees were no longer available and those waiting would have to find assistance elsewhere.

A scene that was echoed by others on social media, including Nicki LyMac, who shared a video of the sea of Air Canada passengers needing assistance.

My flight is cancelled, and so are a lot of others. This is the customer service line right now pic.twitter.com/73V47jiL44

— Nicki LyMac ????️‍????????️‍⚧️ (@NickiLymac) June 6, 2022

“Air Canada and Pearson Airport has left 300 passengers stranded by closing their customer service desk,” writes LyMac, while acknowledging that the staff looked exhausted and had little support.

The worst part is the staff is handling this with the resources they have. They’re exhausted and have no support

— Nicki LyMac ????️‍????????️‍⚧️ (@NickiLymac) June 6, 2022

Whitney then had to re-enter Canada through Canadian customs, finally connecting with an Air Canada employee at 1 a.m. who informed him that collecting his bags was not possible and to return for an 8:30 a.m. flight to Boston.

“I want to be three hours and 55 minutes early. I get here and this woman says, ‘Oh we booked you actually on a flight from here to Montreal and Montreal to Boston but that leaves in 50 minutes and you can’t make it,” he says with a baffled look, “They never sent me an email. I started laughing. What are you going to do?”

“So now I’m on a 10 a.m. but there is nobody really around the gate,” he says in the video.

Ending the video saying that he is shocked at how everything unfolded, “It’s the biggest disgrace known to man”

In an email to CityNews, Air Canada says that the matter is one that has been widely reported, as both airport and airline operations continue to be impacted by staffing issues at government third-party providers.

“Long processing times at airports and other restrictions have resulted in flight delays and in some instances cancellations and these can have knock-on effects not only for our customers but can also impact our employee resources and operations,” it said.

RELATED: International flight delays at Pearson airport jump by factor of almost 300

Air Canada goes on to explain that if an aircraft is held longer at a gate than expected or a flight is suddenly cancelled, those situations can impact the schedules of ground staff, ultimately impacting other flights. Confirming that this combined with Pearson’s baggage system is what caused Whitney’s delay.

“We regret the inconvenience these issues are causing some customers and we are working hard with our third-party partners to improve the situation as quickly as possible,” the airline said.

While we have seen an influx of longer wait times and delays at Toronto’s international airport since early April, the issue is not just unique to Toronto.

Images of chaotic scenes in other airports across the world are forcing some officials to come up with a solution as we enter a travel summer season like no other.

@DublinAirport @WestJet welcome to hell. Otherwise known as Area 14 bag drop. 24 check in desks. 4 open. ???? pic.twitter.com/g22wTHSSFq

— Paul Lynch (@plynchy66) June 6, 2022

Such as in Dublin, where the government summoned the airport’s operators after more than 1,000 passengers missed their flights last week, leading to offered compensation and a promise of added security lanes and staff in an attempt to speed up the process.

Whitney let his followers know that he made it to Boston by sharing a video of him walking off the plane and simply saying, “Boston. I’ve never been happier to see you.”

It’s over. I want to thank everyone for their Ts and Ps and the amazing chiclets listeners who reached out to help. Best fans on earth. The exact opposite of Pearson International Airport. God bless anyone who ever has to step foot in that hellhole pic.twitter.com/zH5tksOFFr

— Ryan Whitney (@ryanwhitney6) June 6, 2022