Airport delays this summer: the Minister of Transport in committee on Friday

OTTAWA — Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra will testify this Friday before members of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities about delays in service delivery at airports and airlines that have greatly indisposed travelers in recent months.

Airlines and airports have grappled with a surge in customers this summer, compounded by staffing shortages affecting both carriers and federal agencies.

This situation has caused numerous flight cancellations, baggage claim delays and long queues, particularly at Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Toronto.

The Transportation Commission voted unanimously last week to hold a hearing on the delays and invited Minister Alghabra to testify. The Minister recently failed a COVID-19 test; he will therefore appear by videoconference.

Transport Canada said in a recent statement it was working with industry partners to improve conditions at airports and cited fewer cancellations and delays in the first week of August compared to a months earlier.