Toronto Pearson Airport

Not Verified | I am very disappointed in the way Pearson has handled the new covid testing rules. I understand it is government implemented but there should be some consideration on how to do things better. It is required to take a test before leaving the country you were in to enter Canada (which costs money) & then you get home from traveling - already presenting a negative covid test - only to get through customs & baggage to have a covid test done again. My problem is the fact that they are putting several people in a small area all from different parts of the world to get covid testing which to me seems like a “breeding ground” for the virus. I’m not against stopping the spread but I think there are better ways to ensure we aren’t spreading it and shoving 100s in a small space does nothing but spread it more. Makes for an extra long day after traveling - especially because being fully vaccinated in a requirement for travel and having a negative covid test already so we should be fine to get through. Sending us home with an at home test would make a lot more sense as there wouldn’t be a backed up covid testing line & getting people out of the crammed airport faster.

Not Verified | My entire life I have been travelling and have never been through an airport as bad as Toronto. It took 2 hrs to get through security upon departure, 2 security lanes open for thousands of passengers, staff are extremely rude. It took 3.5 hrs from check in to get through security, Cancun airport took 5 minutes. Upon our return, it took another 2 hrs to get through security, and then a covid test, they told us 12 to 24 hrs for results, it has now been 72 hrs. If this were a private sector business it would be gone, management should be fired immediately and replaced with capable people. This is not just covid related, this airport has consistently been a nightmare for as long as I can remember. From now on, I will look for other airports to depart from, if you can avoid this airport, do it you will enjoy your trip far more than being subjected to an establishment that employs the rudest nastiest team of employees I have ever seen in any business.

Not Verified | Terrible signage availability! Since trying to find the parking lot, to all inner signage to know exactly where to direct your self correctly! My parents have trouble when arrived since nobody helped them or gave them assistance or instructions where do they have to go, specially now with Covid measurements! Worst airport ever.

Not Verified | Very disorganized, no organization, set up of customs hall is inefficient and ineffective. Long lines and slow service. I’ve travelling to numerous airports in North America, this one consistently is the worst. The management of this airport should be fired for this mess.

Not Verified | The worst experience ever. Long line ups, rude and unprofessional staff, no help for families, kiosks and luggage areas are total mess with zero social distancing. Paid $100 for for PCR test as required by Canadian govt but no one even checked the or asked a single document. Terminal 3 arrival is falling apart. It’s so dirty, and luggage carts are parked everywhere blocking people and no one’s there to pick up.

Not Verified | I arrived and departed from Terminal 1 and if you've travelled a lot around the world, you know this is not the worst terminal in the world, but it's far from being the finest either. Poorly designed from the outset, I have seen improvements made and they are more than welcome, but further upgrades are needed. Here's my experience with a few recommendations for improvement (hope management is reading!). Arriving in the baggage hall, there is no big screen indicating which carrousels are for which flights. You have to walk around and eventually you find it. Confusing to say the least. Having said that, luggage arrived fast, and immigration was relatively quick and pain-free. Agent was not unfriendly. Washrooms in arrivals area clean and modern. The UP train to Toronto Union station is excellent: comfortable, fast and not expensive. Upon departure, check-in and security were efficient and fast. The security area is a vast improvement from when the terminal was first built, and the walk to the international gate area seems much more spacious and attractive. There is fast and free WIFI. The international gate area (E gates) is another story - much too narrow a space and totally unfit for purpose, still crowded with strange tables and stools with Ipads (fine for eating but inadequate when waiting for flights with hand luggage) and a total lack of seating despite this flight being a smaller plane and not even full. No relaxing seating of the kind you find in multiple international airports around the world anywhere (not that there would be any space to put them). People were sitting on the ground and queues for flights snaked over into adjoining gate areas. Bathrooms near the gate are small and gross - it felt like something taken out of a high-school circa 1980. If there is one thing to say about this terminal it's inconsistency, with gate area spaciousness, seating (kind and amount) and queuing for flights being especially poor for a terminal of it's size. Needs a re-think if international hub status is every to be achieved.

Not Verified | Really stupid queuing system which delays everybody! The so called self service check in results in more than close to 90 minutes waiting in line for the bag drop. Poorly handled and severely understaffed.

Not Verified | I was flying back to Canada from Colombia and I had the worst experience I have ever had in an Airport. The customer service was terrible, immigration staff were nasty, not friendly and they were profiling people coming on this flight. My luggage took 2 hours to finally show up somewhere, which made me miss my connection to come to Vancouver. Everything was messy, Air Canada staff didn’t help either and my trip coming back “home” took an extra 5 hours. Terrible experience.

Not Verified | I had a flight on September 17, 2021 at 8.30am to Raleigh, NC. I had no checked bags and I arrived at the airport at 6.40am (1 hr and 50 mins) prior to my scheduled flight time. When I arrived, I was greeted with am extremely long line at TSA and come to find out TSA did not open til 6.15am. Why is TSA only opening at 6.15 am when there are various flights leaving at 8.30 and 9.00am. There was even a line in Nexus and I have never seen a line in Nexus in the amount of years that I have traveled. Myself and others ended up missing our flights, because airport personnel did not want to provide priority to those that have been waiting almost two hours (some even more) and their flights were departing within a short period of time. Air Canada needs to train their employees much better. When I missed my flight, I was told to go past customer service and use their courtesy white phones to reschedule my flight. I booked my ticket with United Airlines but it was operating through Air Canada. I even checked in through Air Canada and received my boarding pass with Air Canada. While I was on the phone with the rep, she advised (incorrectly) that I had to contact United. When I contacted United, they told me I should be speaking with Air Canada. Between 8.50am and 9.30am, I was on hold and being passed back and forth between the airlines. I then went to the Air Canada customer service desk and was able to rebook my flight without any hassle. So again, I was given the incorrect information from the Air Canada rep, whom I spoke with on the phone. By the time I was able to re book my flight, the next flight leaving wasn't until 2:45pm, connected in DC and my next flight out of DC wasn't til after 10.30pm. I spent 14-15 hours in airports for what would have been a 1 hour and change direct flight, if TSA coordinated much better. Also, we were required to take a covid 19 test prior to leaving the country and no one at Toronto Pearson Airport asked me for my Covid 19 results. This is definitely a compliance issue with the requirement of the Government, to provide proof of a negative covid 19 result.

✅ Trip Verified | This is the worst organized airport I have experienced. They tell you to come three hours in advance but people who arrive two hours get moved ahead of you while you get held back and have to wait. Then when the late people arrive for your same flight they go ahead of you and that is before you get to security! You get punished for coming early and doing what they tell you to do. Most ridiculous system I’ve ever experienced in my life and I travel regularly even during the pandemic!