It’s been a chaotic few weeks for customers and staff at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, with overcrowding, long lineups, security snarls, baggage issues and exhausted passengers forced to spend hours inside hot planes on the tarmac He is going.
Later this week, distressed travelers can expect to face another additional hurdle when trying to leave a city or country: a “fake emergency exercise” of about 300 mock protesters in and around the airport.
“For the first time since the pandemic began, we are conducting a full-scale emergency exercise at Toronto Pearson,” the airport announced on Friday, less than 24 hours before the drill was scheduled for Saturday, May 28.
“This exercise is a requirement by Transport Canada and is an important way to test the airport’s emergency response.”
It is unclear why, exactly, the Greater Toronto Airport Authority (GTAA) would choose to run such an unpleasant practice on Saturday mornings – traditionally a busy time for flying – especially at Pearson recently. Given all the nightmare situations being reported.
A representative for the airport specified that “the practice location is near our administration building” and that terminals will not be affected. However, the roads around Pearson can be bad.
We are having an emergency exercise tomorrow and you can see unusual activity around the airport. Since this is just an exercise, there’s no need to worry, but if you’re in the Convair Drive area, beware of potential traffic delays: https://t.co/bSP3PIEAJG pic.twitter.com/PrNuzr64I5
— Pearson Corporate / Enterprise Pearson (@PearsonComms) 27 May 2022
The airport said in a press release Friday that there is “no need” for members of the public to be concerned about the drill, as it is only an exercise.
Tomorrow, Canada’s biggest and busiest airports may have an early departure for those arriving, departing, or traveling to and from there, however, with the GTAA warning “8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Possible traffic disruption in the area between Convair “Drive and Electra Road.”
“This year’s scenario will include a protest in which approximately 300 members of the airport community, participants and volunteers will take on the role of protesters,” notes Pearson. “Other respondents who participated in the incident include Peel Regional Police and Transport Canada.”
The airport’s website currently advises travelers to arrive at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international flights, but Pearson’s own huge counterfeit protests may require you to leave even longer this Saturday. advice will be given.
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