Air Canada cancels almost 10 per cent of flights at Toronto Pearson in first week of June

Air Canada cancelled almost 10 per cent of its flights at Toronto Pearson International Airport in the first week of June.

In total, that amounts to about 360 Air Canada flights cancelled between June 1 and June 7.

Those cancellations are split between departures and arrivals that took place during that seven-day stretch, Cirium, an aviation data company, told CTV News Toronto on Thursday.

Pearson has become the focal point of criticism for its now notorious delays and cancellations. This week, the city’s mayor called the situation at the airport “unacceptable” after a former NHL player declared Pearson the "worst place on earth."

Peter Fitzpatrick, a spokesman for Air Canada, told CTV News Toronto that Pearson, in particular, has been impacted by wider issues impeding the regular flow at airports and for airline operations.

Those challenges include staffing shortages, longer security and customs times and recurring air traffic control limitations.

“These can have knock-on effects not only for our customers but can also impact our employee resources and operations,” Fitzpatrick said.

While Fitzpatrick acknowledged that these issues have posed challenges, he said Air Canada is currently moving more than 100,000 customers per day.

Meanwhile, WestJet data shows that about two per cent of the airline's departing flights and three per cent of arriving flights at Pearson were cancelled the first week of June.

These cancellations come amid calls for the federal government to drop its remaining COVID-19 travel restriction to alleviate some of the added measures slowing down services. However, those rules were extended until at least the end of the month. 

Earlier this week, Federal Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra addressed the issues plaguing Pearson.

“I know it’s frustrating. We’re going to do everything we can to provide the resources they need, to help logistically, to provide the support they need,” Alghabra said on Tuesday.