If you’ve been to Yellowknife Airport in recent weeks, you may have encountered a scene of chaos.
Scott Blue, one of the departing passengers who arrived at the airport on Tuesday, said he had to wait in the security line for more than an hour and a half.
The staff then “pushed me onto the plane and wouldn’t let me go to the bathroom, which is understandable, but then we kept waiting for a while until more people came,” he said. Told.
Yellowknife’s airport has one security line, a conveyor belt for carry-on bags and a scanner for passengers to go through. Flights within the Northwest usually do not require screening, so not all passengers go through security, but those heading outside the territory will pass through security and exit to one of his two gates on the opposite side. You need to proceed to
Blue, who was headed to Toronto on an Air Canada flight, said other passengers were waiting in line for the large WestJet plane to Calgary.
“There’s some simple math here,” he said. “They’re trying to push 310 people out, because one security system can’t handle two big jets taking off within 30 minutes.”
Mr Blue felt that the security staff did not seem to have a sense of urgency and the lines did not move for 10 minutes at a time.
“It was a bit of a gong show. As someone who loves Yellowknife and wants Yellowknife to succeed, for that to be the last memory for a lot of tourists…it’s not a good vibe,” he said.
The Air Canada flight, Airbus A319, was scheduled to depart Yellowknife at 12:55 p.m., but did not depart until 1:41 p.m., according to flight trackers. The WestJet flight (Boeing 737-800) was scheduled to depart at 1:25 p.m. and departed at 2:16 p.m.
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agency apologizes
Another passenger departing on a WestJet flight who was at the airport on Tuesday forwarded a copy of the complaint over cabin radio to the Canadian Air Transport Security Agency (Catsa), which is responsible for screening passengers and baggage.
Passengers, who asked not to be identified, told Katsa they were concerned that security delays would lead to increased costs. Passengers could have missed their connecting flight, and flights could be canceled if crew members exceeded their legal working hours.
“Passenger experience is poor, especially for most tourists who need to transit. Things like this are unpleasant and have a negative impact on the local community,” the passenger wrote.
“Yellowknife is a small community with a rapidly growing tourism industry. Given the negative impacts, the airport security line situation should be avoided.”
The complainant said he had spoken to Catsa’s duty manager, who said the delays were due to “a lack of human resources and critical role trainees who remained in their roles despite growing backlogs on the prescreening line.” It’s related to utilization.”
In its initial response to the complaint, Catsa apologized for not meeting passengers’ customer service expectations.
“We will do everything we can to reduce our lineup while working within our operating budget and keeping security our top priority,” Katsa’s response said.
But the plaintiffs said that response “lacked honesty and credibility” and was inappropriate.
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Airlines say flights are affected
Other passengers have reported similar delays in recent weeks.
In a statement, Air Canada told Cabin Radio that it has contacted Yellowknife Airport and Katsa “to discuss operations that have affected the on-time departure of some Air Canada flights at Yellowknife.” said.
A WestJet spokesperson said the airline is “also aware of security processing delays during peak travel times at Yellowknife Airport” and is “in contact” with airport partners. Stated.
In response to a request for comment on the delay, the New West provincial government’s Infrastructure Department, which is responsible for airport operations and maintenance, directed Cabin Radio to contact Catsa.
In a statement to Cabin Radio, Katsa said passenger traffic at the airport had increased due to the Arctic Winter Games held in Alaska the previous week.
“Catsa operates one testing line at Yellowknife Airport and is working closely with industry partners, including airports and airlines, to help prepare for the busy season,” Catsa said. Ta.
“Yellowknife Airport is well staffed, but even at optimal staffing levels, wait times can occur at any airport for a variety of reasons and vary depending on the number of passengers and flights. It is important to note that this can vary throughout the day.
