The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reported a significant system outage affecting primary inspection kiosks (PIK) at several Canadian airports, notably at Toronto Pearson International Airport. This disruption, which commenced on Sunday afternoon, has compelled the agency to direct travellers to primary inspection lines for manual processing of their entry into the country.
In an official statement released Sunday evening, a spokesperson for the CBSA assured the public that safety and security standards remain a top priority during this outage. The agency emphasized that officers are diligently conducting all necessary verifications to ensure that the processing of travellers is thorough and timely. However, the situation has led to longer wait times for passengers as they navigate through the manual processing lines.
Passengers have taken to social media to express their frustrations about the delays at Pearson Airport. Numerous posts highlight the prolonged waiting periods and the overall chaotic environment due to the technical difficulties faced by the CBSA. One notable tweet from a user named JB Viewer captured a visual representation of the long lines forming at the airport, illustrating the extensive impact of the kiosk outage.
In a separate incident, another passenger responded to a post shared by the CBSA, expressing concern that the airport would not allow them to disembark from their flight. They voiced their worry about making a connecting flight to Quebec, indicating the broader implications of the outage on travellers’ schedules. This concern is echoed in various reports, with passengers feeling anxious about missing vital connections due to the processing backlog.
A CityNews report included a tip from a man detailing his wife’s ordeal. She had arrived from Zagreb, Croatia, and experienced several hours of waiting before being allowed to exit the aircraft. Although it remains uncertain whether her delays were directly attributable to the technical problems with the kiosks, her experience reflects the frustration many travellers are currently facing at the airport.
Despite the chaos at the terminal, the CBSA maintains that no flights are currently being delayed as a result of the system outage. This assurance aims to alleviate some of the concerns surrounding the incident, although long wait times continue to affect many passengers' travel experiences at one of Canada’s busiest airports.
