At Toronto's main airport, stranded travellers are still waiting for answers after winter storm
Passengers recount delayed, cancelled flights even after worst of storm has passed
What was supposed to be a layover at Toronto's Pearson International Airport turned out to be days of chaos for Bermuda native Valerie Adams.
Since landing on Thursday, Adams says she's been stranded at the airport with no proper winter attire or promises from her airline to pay for her hotel until sheleaves.
She's resorted to hanging around the airportin hopes of getting clarityfrom staff, who she says get their attention taken away by other frustrated customers before theyeven get to resolve her questions.
"It seems to be very unprofessional because there's no one to give answers," Adams said.
"It's so easy to get a ticket ... but it's not easy for people to assist you when this kind of stuff happens."
WATCH |Pearson airport brings in staff to help airlines minimize further delays:
Adams is one of countlesspassengers who have had their travel plans disrupted following amajor winter storm that parts of southwestern Ontario are still recovering from.Storms affected flights across Canada and the United Statesover the weekend, resulting in many flight delays, cancellations and luggage mishaps at airports.
Passengers are hopeful they'll get to catch the tail end of their travel and holidayplans, but they don't know when that might be.
While Tuesday marked "pretty normal operation," according to Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) spokesperson Tori Gass, the airport is still impacted by weather and staffing issues at other airports, in addition to its own efforts to deal with the impacts of the holiday storm.
Gass recommended anyone with travel plans check in with their airline about possible delays or disruptions before coming to the airport.
"We don't want people coming here and then finding out their flight has been cancelled," she said.
Passengers travellingout of Terminal 3 also face baggage delays, which the GTAA attributes to the many delayed flights and missed connections, in conjunction with frozen equipment. In a tweet, the GTAA said "much of the backlog" has now been handled and it expects most of therest to be addressed by the end of Tuesday.
A spokesperson for the Canadian Minister of Transport said the office is keeping a close eye on the situation at airports.
"The safety of passengers and crew is our top priority," the spokesperson said. "Canadians can rest assured that we are doing everything we can to support them through these difficult times."
"I'm still hoping to get to at least spend a few days there and come back," said Robert Williams, who is travelling with his wife and young son.
His flight to Orlando, Fla., was supposed to leave on Friday but was cancelled due to mechanical issues, Williams said. He wanted to spend Christmas with his daughter and other family members.
"But instead I'm here at the airport," he said.
Three days later, he said,airport staff haven't given him a new flight yet. "You're in limbo, waiting."
Delays follow even after worst of storm abates
CBC News has reached out to Pearson airport for comment on the state of flights, and this story will be updated with itsresponse. According to the airport's website, more than nine per cent of its flightsand more thaneight per cent of its departures were cancelled on Monday.
Mark Corbett's flight was one of them. Thehead coach of the Burlington Eagles hockey club said his team's flights to Calgary werecancelled on Monday morning due to mechanical issues, and they've been at the airport since 3:30 a.m.
The team was supposed to competein the Circle K Classic, an ice hockey tournament for players under 18.Corbett saidthey're the only team fromOntario invited to play and it's supposed to start Tuesday.However, the replacement flight they've been given flies out on Dec. 30.
"It's just disheartening that a mechanical issue is going to cause us to miss a massive tournament for these boys,"Corbett said.
With files from Lisa Xing
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