Pearson International Airport has been the center of criticism for the extreme wait times thanks to delayed and cancelled flights and staffing
Scott McFadzean. From flylondon.ca/ourmanagement
issues. London International hasn’t been hit as hard, but what their President and CEO Scott McFadzean calls the “great restart” in the aviation industry hasn’t left the organization without its fair share of problems.
“With the resurgence of travel two years later after basically not very much travel, you’re seeing a lot of issues ramping back up to those staffing levels we had pre-COVID,” says McFadzean. “A lot of training still needs to happen and it’s causing chaos across the board.”
Retirements and people being laid off or furloughed because of strict COVID protocols and less travelers have also contributed to the growing lack of qualified staff.
“I think the bigger challenge is on the air traffic control and pilot side,” says McFadzean, referring to the more concerning staffing shortages affecting the industry. “A lot of pilots, for example, over the age of 60 were packaged out and chose to retire. There is a mandatory retirement age at 65 anyways.”
To become a pilot for an airline in Canada requires an Airline Transport Pilot License (ATPL) which usually takes three to five years and can cost nearly $90,000. Becoming an air traffic controller requires a prospective candidate go through NAV Canada and can take anywhere from 10 to 20 months.
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Another issue that’s rippled out from the problems facing Pearson International are delays and outright cancellations of flights between London and Toronto. Air Canada flight 8259, a daily afternoon flight to London from Toronto, has been cancelled 5 times in the last week alone.
COVID is another problem, both the protocols and the virus itself, with the latest impact on air traffic control being the result of a COVID outbreak.
The industry as a whole is pushing to remove COVID protocols, including the vaccine requirements for staff to help shore up their low numbers.
“Certainly, masking is still required in terminals and on flights here in Canada,” says McFadzean. “So that’s another area that hasn’t been proven effective to stop the spread in our industry.”
Gate agents checking rapid antigen tests for passengers flying to the US, making sure that passengers are vaccinated and they’re not breaking any COVID protocols have also been slowing things down.
Currently things haven’t gotten anywhere near as bad as Pearson International Airport and current trends suggest that it isn’t going to change for the worst.
“We partner with all of our tenant partners … they feel confident in their staffing levels, and we feel confident they’re able to handle even the upsurge that we’re seeing in summer travel,” says McFadzean. “So, we’re not too concerned with delays on our side.”
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