As travelers prepare to take off for their March holidays, Canada’s largest airport is giving a behind-the-scenes look at how your luggage gets to its destination.
Toronto Pearson International Airport expects 140,000 people to use the airport each day next week, an increase of 10 per cent from 2023.
This means staff will likely be moving even more baggage than in years past, and in a new video posted to social media, the airport shares exactly how baggage is handled within its facilities. It means that you did.
According to the airport, Pearson processes approximately 30 million bags each year, which equates to approximately 82,000 pieces per day.
“During busy periods like the March holidays, up to 100,000 bags will pass through the system each day,” airport spokesperson Sean Davidson told CP24.com.
“Each airline is responsible for getting passengers’ baggage to its destination.” Toronto Pearson is responsible for the 30-kilometre conveyor belt that moves baggage quickly through the terminal after it is unloaded at the airline’s check-in counter. After passing through the conveyor belt, the baggage is loaded onto the plane by each airline’s ground handler.
While the baggage system is built to accept luggage of all shapes and sizes, Davidson offered some advice on how to make the process as smooth as possible for passengers. Tips include checking for dangling items from your baggage, sticking your baggage tag flat and wrinkle-free so it can be easily read by a scanner, weighing your baggage and airline weights. This includes knowing the limitations in advance.
Pearson’s baggage system is in the news in December 2022 after frigid temperatures temporarily caused some conveyor belts to malfunction, leaving many people without luggage while on vacation became.
