Man still looking for his bags at Toronto Pearson airport 16 days after arriving in the city
As unclaimed luggage continue to pile up at Pearson International Airport, one local resident has been looking for his bags for 16 days after arriving in Toronto.
The man who identified himself as Dean told CP24 Saturday afternoon that he flew from Calgary on a direct flight, landing around 12:30 a.m. on June 17. He said he was asked last minute to check in his bag.
For three hours, he waited for his bags, but they did not show up. He then waited in line for customer service for an hour, only to receive no answer about his bags.
More than two weeks later, they remain nowhere to be found.
"I've been back to the airport three times now. And it's been 16 days and no sign of my bag. I've looked through these 2,000 bags here over and over again to look for my bag. It's nothing," Dean said.
He added that he has repeatedly called customer service and even filed a claim, yet there are still no updates on where his bags are.
"My only option was to actually physically come here and talk to customer service. And they've been helpful as much as they can, but … my bag is in limbo," Dean said.
He is only one of several thousand travellers who have desperately sought their bags at Canada's largest airport. Thousands of bags continue to sit idle in the baggage claim area at Pearson airport, waiting for their owners to collect them. On social media, travellers continue to voice their anger as they plea for airlines to find their bags.
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
According to the Greater Toronto Airport Authority, which operates Toronto Pearson, baggage responsibility is shared among different groups. Airlines and their contracted ground handling company are responsible for baggage handling, including removal of luggage from the plane, induction into the baggage system and the rate at which bags are loaded onto the carousel.
"A number of issues over the past several days have led to challenges with baggage. This includes flight delays and cancellations, staff shortages with our airline partners and temporary mechanical disruptions with the baggage system," the GTAA said in a statement.
According to data from FlightAware provided to CTV News Toronto, 7.7 per cent of scheduled flights in Canada last month were cancelled, compared to 1.6 per cent in 2019 before the pandemic. It also found that of the scheduled flights in June, 49.5 per cent were delayed.
"We have worked with the airlines to ensure unclaimed bags are removed from the carousels and staged in the baggage hall to make room for bags from other flights."
Flights are delayed at Toronto Pearson International Airport on July 2, 2022. (Corey Baird/CTV News Toronto)
Dean said he is hoping to retrieve his bags soon as he is travelling again next week.
"I don't have my bag. I don't have my stuff. It's just been very frustrating," he said.
Dean added that airlines need to communicate better with their customers.
"Whether it's a supply chain shortage or a staff shortage or mechanical, whatever it is, it's got to be more communication for airlines because this is ridiculous," he said.
"I just feel sorry for everybody's waiting for their bags. These are vacations that have been ruined. People have been waiting for hours and hours for the bag and just extreme frustration. If you look around here, this is just one terminal. Maybe Terminal 3 has more bags, who knows?"
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.