Last summer was an unmitigated disaster at Toronto Pearson, with on-time performance as low as 35% at this time last summer. Added to that was baggage problems, gate holds and long wait times at security and customs.
In a mid-summer performance update, Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) President and CEO Deborah Flint said the situation has improved considerably since those dark days.
Flint said that since last summer the airport has tangibly improved passenger experience across its operations, implemented digital innovations and bolstered staffing. She says these advancements have expedited check-in and boarding processes, reduced wait times and upgraded baggage infrastructure.
The enhancements have yielded significant results compared to the summer of 2022:
On-time performance: Toronto Pearson currently ranks 17th in the on-time performance global ranking published by Flight Aware versus last place at the height of the industry restart. At this time last summer, OTP was 35%. In recent weeks, it has touched as high as 74.5%.
Baggage: Airlines manage baggage delivery, but Toronto Pearson has made it an ongoing focus for collaborative improvement. The average wait time for all bags arriving at the carousel from July 3 to 9 was 20, compared to 26 minutes last year. During the week of July 10 to 16, baggage service availability at Terminals 1 and 3 was rated at 99.3 and 98.7%, respectively.
Gate holds: For the week of July 3 to 9, 2023 there was just one flight where passengers were held on the aircraft at a Toronto Pearson gate. The aircraft was held for nine minutes. This situation represents a marked improvement over last summer when holding passengers at the gate was a regular practice due to overcrowding in the customs hall. The same week last year saw 34 flights with an average hold time of 10 minutes, with some being much longer.
Security wait times: International and domestic security wait times at both Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 are significantly improved since last summer. The most recent data from the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (CATSA) for the week of July 3 to 9 indicates that 91% of passengers cleared security in less than 15 minutes.
Customs wait times: Wait times to enter Canada at Toronto Pearson's customs halls are significantly and noticeably faster than last summer. Currently, the average wait time for passengers at customs is seven minutes.
Reflecting the improvements, Toronto Pearson was recently informed that it has secured the top position in the Airports Council International (ACI) Large Airport Category for Q2.
"I am proud of the exceptional teamwork demonstrated by the Toronto Pearson team leading up to the summer season, which has collectively strengthened the overall resilience of our ecosystem. Our ranking as No. 1 in ASQ Customer Quality in Q2 across North America reflects the strong foundation of Toronto Pearson, even as the industry globally continues to face challenges from the pandemic," said Deborah Flint, President and CEO of the GTAA.
Flint adds: "The tangible improvements in Toronto Pearson's performance go beyond mere recovery but lead us toward a future airport with more choices and excellent customer experiences. Day in and day out, employees across the ecosystem show Toronto Pearson's unwavering commitment to delivering a seamless and enjoyable air travel experience."
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