Toronto airport security delays easing

Major departure delays at Toronto's Pearson International Airport have ebbed, but two federal ministers are still demanding security screeners cease any job actions that could cause more snarls on the long weekend.

Passengers began to face the delays Thursday when employees for Garda Security, theprivate firm that handles pre-flight passenger screening, implemented a work-to-rule campaign because of a dispute with their employer over scheduling.

The delays were averaging two to three hours to get through security in Terminal 1 and less in Terminal 3 on Friday afternoon, but hadmostly abated by Friday evening. One flight to New York City earlier Friday was held up for five hours because of the lineups at security.

Labour Minister Lisa Raitt andMinister of Statefor Transport Steven Fletcher called on thescreeners to stop their tactics,maintaining thatthe job actionis an "illegalstrike."Raitt said she has appointed a federal mediator to help resolve the dispute.

"I expect the parties to fully co-operate with the mediator," she said in arelease Friday evening.

About 10 per cent of departures from Pearson were cancelled on Friday, and the airporthad beenwarning passengers to check the status of their flights before heading there.

International flights hit hardest

Airport spokesman Scott Armstrong said the airport was working with theCanadian Air Transport Security Authority, the federal agency that oversees airport passenger screening,to find a solution. But Armstrong couldn't indicate when the underlying issues would be resolved.

The delays affected domestic and cross-border travellers, Armstrongsaid. Extra airport staffwere called in to hand out water to frustrated travellers stuck in the backlog.

In an emailed statement, Boston-based Garda said it was doing all it can "to mitigate the effects of the work slowdown" at Pearson, adding that the company's managers were on the line to assist in the screening process and were "working relentlessly" to improve the situation.

Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick told CBC News the labour disruption caused a slowdown that was "especially pronounced on international flights," which have the most stringent security.

"What's really compounding this is that it's Thanksgiving long weekend," he said.

"We're really urging CATSA and the service provider to get this resolved as quickly as possible [to] avoid further disruptions."

Waiting lines choreographed

People who showed up latewere rushed to the front of the line so theydidn't miss their flights.

One traveller advised others to take their time and drop all expectations that arriving early would help them beat the crowds.

"Don't be here early, because you're going to have what happened to me," he said. "You're going to get to the gate thinking that you're going to beat the crowd, and they're going to make you go and sit somewhere. So better to arrive maybe two-and-a-half hours before your flight, and you wait for four hours because they're going to delay the flight to meet you."

A report in theToronto Starsaid Garda won an injunction from the Canada Industrial Relations Board onThursday that "prohibits workers from slowing down on the job." Gardacould not be immediately reached for comment.

Craig Lathroparrived at Terminal 1 at 6:30 a.m. ET for a 9 a.m. flight to St. Louis. At 8:50, he said he was still waiting in a long line.

"All of Terminal 1 is a line," he said. "It goes from one end to the other."

"I've been here all morning, and we are probably two hours, I'd say at least, before you get to where you would normally start."

Airport officialsassembled people departing at the same time into groups to go through security. That way, everyone who wassupposed to leave at5 p.m., for instance,waskept togetherregardless of their destination andcould head through security in the most efficient way possible under the circumstances.