Pearson passengers wait for 'several hours' due to technical issues at baggage drop off

Travellers say they have been waiting for “several hours” on Tuesday night due to intermittent technical issues at Toronto Pearson International Airport’s Terminal 3 baggage drop off area.

Spokesperson for Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) Robin Smith told CP24 on Tuesday that the delays have been going on since 6:30 p.m. and are affecting departing passengers for all airlines at the terminal.

A man waiting with his family in the baggage drop off line at Terminal 3 told CP24 they have been waiting for more than two hours.

“We did our online booking yesterday thinking that this would be a nice, quick process and it’s been two hours in line just to check our bags in,” he said.

He called the pile of luggage sitting beside the long lineup a “scary sight.”

“Just makes you think you’re going to be waiting another two hours on the plane before those bags get onto the plane.”

The GTAA said an additional 15 workers have been brought in to assist with customer service and help move the baggage by hand onto the baggage conveyor system.

As well, the GTAA says there have been some flight delays due to this ongoing issue but did not provide an exact number of those affected.

The issue has forced an unknown amount of passengers to leave their bags in a departure hallway after checking in with their carrier and moving towards their gate.

Pearson officials say this is a software issue that has become an “all hands on deck situation.”

The GTAA added that the technical issues are unrelated to hundreds of baggage handlers that went on strike at Pearson airport on July 27.